


Birds and Bees

by fencingfox



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Blood Kink, Bondage, Cross-cultural, Cultural Differences, F/M, Rape Fantasy, Rape Roleplay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-13 10:16:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 37,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20172604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fencingfox/pseuds/fencingfox
Summary: B'Elanna and Tom have been dancing around each other for months now. On a whim, each find themselves researching the courting and mating rituals of their interest's culture. Tom offers to let B'Elanna practice human customs with him. This leads to a blooming relationship.





	1. To Capture a Kiss

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Klingon Sex Manual](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14278785) by [Spiletta42](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spiletta42/pseuds/Spiletta42). 

> This is set after _Day of Honor_ but before _Scientific Method_ in an (unfortunately) AU world.

* * *

B'Elanna glanced at the PADD on her nightstand. She wasn't sure if she trusted herself to read it without giving whatever it suggested a try. She rolled over in her bed to face the other way hoping that she could forget about it. Facing away from the PADD didn't do much to alleviate her curiosity. She rolled over with a grunt and picked up the PADD aggressively. Sitting higher in her bed she turned it on and began to read. 

**=/\=**

Tom lounged on his couch, glad that his shift was finally over. He had a PADD in his hand that he was dying to read. Since he'd begun working in Sick Bay, he had access to all kinds of literature on every species in the Alpha Quadrant and several from the Delta Quadrant. As soon as the Doctor was shut off after his shift, Tom downloaded this particular gem to a PADD and brought it with him to his room. He turned on the PADD and put a pillow behind his head. He read the title: _Klingon Mating Rituals and Anatomy_. 

If anyone saw him reading this PADD, it wouldn't be too hard to guess who he had in mind when he sought it out. _B'Elanna._ Of course he knew the basics. The Doctor once pointed out so helpfully that breaking a clavicle on the wedding night was a sign of good luck. Tom entertained the thought of marrying B'Elanna one day. He thought that she would look beautiful in a wedding dress. He smirked, _and even better without one._

Tom read through the chapters: 

1\. Poetry and Language  
2\. Courtship and Expectations  
3\. Bedroom Practices  
4\. Bedroom Taboos  
5\. Common Kinks  
6\. Marriage Customs and Beyond  
7\. Family Expectations  
8\. Male Anatomy  
9\. Female Anatomy 

Tom figured he could skip the chapters for Male Anatomy and Family Expectations since B'Elanna was neither male nor had any family nearby. Well, except for maybe Chakotay. _Better not skip Family Expectations._ He looked forward to reading about Female Anatomy but figured it would be best to start from the beginning. 

**=/\=**

B'Elanna grimaced when she read the title: _Human Rituals of Bondingˆ_. She couldn't believe she was doing this. She didn't have too much of a choice if she was going to try for Tom. She was embarrassed to admit that she didn't have much experience with human dating. Especially, nothing that compared to what Tom was rumored to know. Human men didn't seem to like her that much. Besides, they were always more interested in impressing her with their Klingon knowledge that she never experienced human dating. 

She read the chapters to herself: 

1\. Petname vs Slur  
2\. First Date: Kiss Goodnight  
3\. Second Date: Quiet Company or Thrilling Experience  
4\. Third Date: To Bed  
5\. Baseball Bases  
6\. Marriage Proposals  
7\. Married Life  
8\. Divorce  
9\. Male Anatomy  
10\. Female Anatomy 

She wasn't sure how baseball had anything to do with human dating but if the book said so, then she believed it. She was also curious by the Female Anatomy chapter. B'Elanna wondered how much of her anatomy resembled human anatomy. She had never thought about it before but she had no idea exactly how...compatible she would be with Tom. Of course, if her father managed with her mother than they had to be somewhat compatible. However, she wouldn't be surprised if fate chose to prevent a comfortable union with Tom. 

**=/\=**

Tom pawed the PADD to the first chapter, easing into the stray pillow on his couch. 

**Poetry and Language**

Klingon females highly value poetry. Its pertinence to mating will be discussed in more detail in chapter three: Bedroom Practices. There are many poets who favor writing passionate love poems. We suggest a thorough reading of their works and for any interested males to memorize as much as possible. Passionate nights often begin and end with men reciting poetry to their mate. While pre-written poems are a good way to start. Reciting an original work is sure to drive a Klingon female wild with desire. Tom would have to remember that. He wondered if he could write decent poetry for B'Elanna. 

_Roses are red_  
_Your sweet blood is too_  
_Violets are blue_  
_And I'd like you in bed._

He laughed to himself. Somehow, he didn't think she'd find that one romantic enough. But he would still try it if he got the chance. At least if that drove her wild, he wouldn't have to try too hard in the poetry department. Tom skimmed through the Klingon poets, seeing a familiar name on the list: Wil'yam Sheq'spir. He could memorize a few of his poems for B'Elanna just in case his didn't work well. He sat up to draw up another PADD he knew lay on his coffee table. He'd been fond of poetry—especially love poems since before he knew B'Elanna. He had two in mind now as he brought the PADD from the table to his hand. Tom thumbed through the table of contents until he found them: Sonnets 40 and 109. When he read them over again, they reminded him of her, especially Sonnet 40. He would memorize these two for her. Swiftly, Tom bookmarked the two sonnets and set the PADD back on his coffee table for later. Tom began the next section of the chapter. 

Language and mating custom go hand in hand with Klingons. Numerous lingo-analysts have studied and documented the connection between certain words and their resulting behaviors. For example, calling a Klingon woman Be'—Tom pressed a thumb to the word so that a husky-voiced Klingon would pronounce it for him.—the word for woman is akin to publicly claiming her as your own. He thought it endearing that Be' almost sounded like a truncated petname for B'Elanna. If stated to a stranger, this could result in a mating ritual or decapitation depending on the woman's reaction. _Okayyy, better use that one when I'm sure it won't be decapitation._ Tom thought about the publicly claiming thing. He thought that it was too bad there weren't any other Klingons on Voyager. Then he was glad there wasn't since if there had been, he probably would have gotten to B'Elanna before him. Already, Vorik, the Vulcan, nearly had. 

Klingon courtship contains a few stages of language that will be explained in further detail in the next chapter. Suffice it to say that the way mates address one another and their respective families differs from one stage to the next. Straying into the next stage before the Klingon woman's approval is likely to result in castration. 

**=/\=**

B'Elanna started to read the first chapter: **Petname vs Slur**. 

Even when in the early stages of flirting, prospective human couples enjoy using petnames with one another. The use of petnames shows the participants each other's interest in a low-risk manner. Common petnames for women follow: honey, hun, love, babe, baby, flower, cupcake, sugar, sweetie, and sweets. _If Tom ever calls me babe or baby, I'll have his head._ Common petnames for men follow: honey, hun, man, manz, boy, love, and sweetie. 

It isn't uncommon for prospective couples to create new nicknames for the other by shortening or elongating their name depending on their language of origin. For instance in the old world language of Russian the name Anna would transform to Annichka on the lips of their lover. While the English name Isabella would transform to the shorter Bella. B'Elanna contemplated that. Tom had called her shortened names such as B'ela in the past. She wondered if he would ever use B'e as her petname. It was dangerously close to the Klingon Be' that she could rip his head off for...if this were a Klingon vessel. 

Couples may also create petnames out of their partner's occupation, a fond memory, or their personality. B'Elanna recalled the names she'd used with Tom in the past and blushed when she realized that Helmboy, Hotshot and Flyboy all fit within this category of petnames. _Maybe I'm not entirely clueless._

An odd occurrence that appeared in the early 21st century is the use of slurs as petnames. Bitch and dick or ass are the most common of these for addressing women and men, respectively. The practice continues today, albeit, rarely publicly. This just shows that when it comes to petnames, humans are creative creatures. 

She began to read the second chapter. The title of which stood out on the PADD's screen in bold print as **First Date: Kiss Goodnight**. 

Human courtships tend to have three stages. Each of these stages, known as dates, push the couple to unexplored territory if successful. In some human cultures, marriage is arranged and thus dating is at a minimum. In others, dating is highly regulated either by family or matchmakers. They may choose the partner, the venue and/or attend discreetly or overtly as chaperone. The most common practice of dating, practiced largely in North America and Europe is for the couple to make their own arrangements. Often, the male of the couple pays for the outing to flaunt his ability to provide for his prospective mate. However, out of a desire to appear attractive, women often under eat at meal-based dates. _Pah! I won't under eat to impress Tom. If I'm hungry I'll eat my fill._

The first date is the first step into formal courtship for humans. The first date often permits an intimate gathering of the two humans for conversation meant to determine their general compatibility. These include: dinner for two, a dark movie showing, and activities such as roller or ice skating. B'Elanna had never gone roller or ice skating before. The idea intrigued her. She knew what she wanted her and Tom's first date to be. 

The first date usually consists of a quiet opportunity to laugh and talk. It tends to end in the budding couple's first kiss. Anything further than a first kiss portrays the woman of the relationship to be "easy". This is undesirable in a mate as it suggests that their mate is more likely to be promiscuous and cheat on them with another. _HA! She was anything but easy!_ B'Elanna thought about sharing a first kiss with Tom. She had to admit that the idea made her heart flutter uncomfortably. 

**=/\=**

Tom read the next chapter heading: **Courtship and Expectations**. He could admit that he was rather curious about this part of Klingon mating. There wasn't much that he knew about it. Most if not all of his knowledge of Klingon mating had to do with their ferocious sexual appetites and libidos. He was only slightly worried about keeping up with B'Elanna in the bedroom. 

Courtship among Klingons is relatively simple. It is similar to human courtship in that the initial stages are meant to judge general compatibility before taking the next steps. The bI'reS, or beginning starts with one or the other, usually the male challenging the female to battle. This challenge can take any form but more often then not, it is resolved through a bat'leth battle. Sometimes the heat of battle drives the two Klingons to seal their bond by mating right away. 

The second stage is the qep, the meeting. It is this stage where Klingons begin their union sexually. Since the heat of battle often leads to this stage anyway there isn't usually much time to prepare between the two. On the rare occasions when the qep cannot happen immediately, the female must initiate it. She does this by circling her male, sniffing his wrists and neck. Tom's stomach dropped. _Sakari._ There are times when the bI'reS flows so naturally into the qep that one wouldn't be able to see the difference in the phases. Sometimes the bI'reS is simply a bout of wrestling. Tom flushed even though there was no one to see and no one could know that he was reading this. 

The final stage is the 'Iw muv, or the blood bond. To Klingons, this is as binding as a marriage. Divorce among Klingons are rare. Commonly, the qep is just as binding socially if not legally. Historians believe that this, and the high levels of oxytocin released during both the qep and the 'Iw muv that accounts for the nonexistent divorce rates among Klingons. 

The 'Iw muv begins by the female biting the male's cheek or jaw and holding the blood in her mouth. The male then leaves a bite on either side of the female's upper breast. He also must hold her blood in his mouth. Next, the two kiss and share their blood between them before consummating their almost marriage. And so, the pair are mated for life. 

Tom thought back to their time on Sakari. To her biting his cheek in particular. Although her actions had been a bit jumbled—the 'Iw muv before the qep—B'Elanna had been trying to mate them for life. He was glad that he held out as long as he did. Granted, he didn't know about the 'Iw muv before now. Tom thought that B'Elanna would have managed to persuade him to participate. Anyone could be persuasive when naked, especially if that someone was B'Elanna. His skin tingled with the thought. _Us, bonded?_ A thousand questions bombarded his mind. What would he do afterwards? Would he have realized they had been practically married? He thought he'd probably have eventually stumbled across this bit of reading. What would B'Elanna do afterwards? Tell him the truth? Ignore him? Would she get jealous when he and Harry flirted with the Delaney sisters? 

**=/\=**

Tom jumped off the couch at the Red Alert making its presence known in his quarters. He cursed and threw the PADD on the couch, hoping he wouldn't loose his spot. As quickly as possible, Tom slipped his jacket and pants back on so that he would be presentable for the Bridge. He laughed at the idea of showing up with only a turtleneck and boxers. He knew that doing so would probably result in a strong reprimand, at least a week in the ship's brig, and maybe some disarming laughter. 

Tom left his quarters to take his position at the Helm. Once seated, he looked over the readings there. Some sort of interference prevented him from getting a full reading. Just as he was thinking it would be a good idea to get a visual of what they were in the middle of, Harry put the viewscreen online. He saw a large planet to the lower left of the screen. Surrounding the planet and _Voyager_ were small asteroids and a dust cloud that made everything hazy. 

"The asteroids contain strong magnets that are pulling the dust together. I think they are trying to form a planet and they are pulling us in." B'Elanna's voice cut through the comm system. 

"Lieutenant Paris, think you can navigate us out of here?" The Captain shot. 

"Aye, Captain. I believe I can." Tom took to massaging the controls like a fish treading water. _Voyager_ rocked with his efforts. Rocks clung to Voyager's sides attempting to form a planet with the largest "rock" in the area. 

"Captain, the asteroids are attaching themselves to the hull. They seem to be puncturing it as they do." Harry Kim informed. 

"Odd," Chakotay stated. 

"Might I suggest a theory?" Tuvok asked politely. 

"Go ahead, Lieutenant Commander," the Captain waved her hand at him for him to continue. 

"I believe that these "asteroids" are manufactured. This planet has several moons, all with small farming colonies on them. I posit that the planet's inhabitants created their moons quicker than geology would allow through magnets so that they had plenty of land to farm." 

"That's as good a theory as any. B'Elanna, can you magnetize our outer hull with the opposite field?" 

"Yes, but anyone with metal implants should avoid the outer corridors since the inner hull will hold the opposing field." 

"Acknowledged. Tuvok?" 

"I will relinquish my station and move to Sick Bay until the magnetization concludes." Tuvok stepped away from his station. Harry Kim took his place as a crew member took over Harry's position at operations. A handful of crew members followed him off the bridge. 

"The Captain to _Voyager._ The magnetic asteroids in our path are attaching to our hull. If you have metal implants, please make your way to Sick Bay so that we can form a field around you for protection. You have ten minutes. At that time, Lieutenant Torres will magnetize our outer hull." Captain Janeway switched to a local channel for Sick Bay. 

"Sick Bay, activate the Emergency Medical Hologram." She waited a moment. "Doctor, I am sending crew members who have metal implants to join you in Sick Bay. In ten minutes I need you to erect a force field to protect them from the effects of a magnetized hull." Tom continued to guide _Voyager_ out of the asteroid field. She was sluggish now that over three tons of magnetic rock clung to her hull. 

"B'Elanna, are you ready?" 

"We're ready." 

"Initiate." For a moment, nothing happened. Then Tom gasped in awe as the rocks that had once clung to _Voyager_ lifted and floated around them. _Voyager_ shot forward as the weight was lifted. Tom watched as the rocks rotated to align their secondary pole to _Voyager_'s hull, ready to reattach. 

"B'Elanna, switch the field on my marks. Mark." The rocks, which had briefly headed towards the ship suddenly flew out further than the first time. Tom continued to navigate. They left behind a few of the rocks but since they were still in the field, they had gotten into range of others. 

"Mark." The field switched again and the rocks shot further away. Tom could see the blackness of empty space. They were nearly there. The Captain continued to guide the switching of the magnetic field until they were safely out of the debris. "Good flying, Lieutenant." She tapped at her comm badge. "The Captain to _Voyager._ The magnetic asteroids no longer pose any threat to us. Those in Sick Bay may return to their quarters or stations." She ended the call and looked at Tom. "You are dismissed. Sleep well." 

"Thank you, Captain," Tom replied as he pushed away from the helm with both hands, "you too." A curt nod was the only sign that the Captain had heard him. 

**=/\=**

B'Elanna stretched on her bed, preparing to read the next chapter boldly titled **Second Date: Quiet Company or Thrilling Experience**. Just as she settled back into her bed and pillows, the ship's Red Alert siren reverberated off the hallway walls outside. She mentally sighed and set the PADD down on her nightstand. 

She stood to get dressed. Although she didn't strictly need to get ready for this Red Alert since she was on blackout, she liked to make sure engineering was functioning perfectly whenever she could. The only reason she had heard the siren at all was because she was still awake. Besides, it wasn't like she could relax knowing that the rest of the ship reveled in pure chaos. 

The engine room was a blur of sounds and bodies. The worst of the danger was now over, but B'Elanna carefully monitored the rear of the ship just in case any of the asteroids decided they were actually close enough to attach to. She only relaxed when the stars blurred in the tell-tale manner of a ship at warp. She let out a sigh that she didn't realize she was holding until now. 

"Carey, you have command of the engine room." B'Elanna began wrapping up her work at the console. She logged out of systems that weren't needed or confidential to the eyes of Carey. Once she finished she left her station to go back to her quarters and her reading. When she stepped to the door, it whooshed open to reveal a smiling Tom Paris. 

"Hi Chief." B'Elanna snuck past Tom, careful not to touch him. He anticipated this and leaned towards her so that she was forced to brush against him. Her breasts grazed his arm in a way that sent shivers up and down her spine. 

"What is it?" She shot icily at him, glaring too. The PADD in her room bore so big a hole in her mind that she worried he'd notice. 

"Wanna get a midnight breakfast on the holodeck?" The door slid closed and Tom leaned against the bulkhead ahead of her. "I have some rations we can use." 

"No," B'Elanna's stomachs rumbled at the mention of food and Tom laughed. 

"I think your stomachs disagree." B'Elanna rolled her eyes. "Didn't you eat dinner?" She hadn't; she'd forgotten which probably accounted for why she couldn't fall asleep earlier. 

"Fine, but let's make it quick. I have...a PADD to finish reading." 

"Lead the way." Tom held his arm out in front of him. B'Elanna obliged and Tom followed before he caught up to fall in step with her. "What have you been reading?" B'Elanna blushed. When he didn't say anything at first, she thought he was gonna let her get away with it. 

"S-Some engineering files. Nothing interesting." 

"Nothing? I'm sure warp coils and nacelles get you excited." B'Elanna shot a scathing look at Tom. "Alright, alright. Point taken." He was mercifully silent for a moment. "_I've_ been reading something interesting." He glanced down at B'Elanna to catch her expression. It was unreadable. 

"Oh? What?" 

"Hmm, I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." 

"I already did, engineering manuals!" 

"Too bad that isn't the truth." He leaned down sideways as they walked. "I saw that blush. I doubt engineering can get you hot and bothered like you are." In a deft movement, B'Elanna lifted her arm and pushed his face away from her with it. 

"Fine. You first." 

"It's _Klingon Mating Rituals and Anatomy._" B'Elanna blushed. 

"_Why?_" Tom looked hurt. 

"Well, isn't it obvious?" 

"Yes," she hissed, "that's why I asked." 

"Oh, I'm thinking of courting a particular half-Klingon I know." 

"You mean me." B'Elanna concluded resolutely. Her heart beat faster. She hadn't thought much of Tom until after Sakari when he refused her advances until Tuvok, of all people, commanded him to help her. It was rather respectful of him to deny her for so long. However, somehow she didn't think he dreaded the command at all. 

"No, I mean Harry. I just don't know why he hasn't accepted my advances." B'Elanna roared with laughter. 

"Maybe he thinks you're a pig for trying!" 

"Oh, I don't know. I think he's worried he'll find me irresistible." Tom brushed his hand against B'Elanna's hand shyly. Despite his record, he blushed when their fingers curled together momentarily. She pulled them away, somewhat regretfully, though she would never admit that. "Your turn. What have you been reading?" 

"Oh." She really hoped for too much that he'd forget or they'd arrive at the holodecks. "I've been reading _Human Rituals of Bonding_." Tom strained to hear her. She was speaking in a whisper. 

"What was that?" B'Elanna took a deep breath and spoke just slightly louder than a whisper. 

"_Human Rituals of Bonding_, Tom." B'Elanna blushed deeper. 

"And who do you hope to be practicing these rituals of bonding with?" He asked suggestively. "I'd be willing to sacrifice myself to the cause." 

"Sacrifice? Ha, some sacrifice. Almost as bad as when Tuvok ordered you to help me on Sakari?" Tom was taken aback. It was the first time since the turbolift that B'Elanna mentioned it. 

"Oh, much worse. There's no guarantee I'd get to bed you." 

"Pig." 

"You like me that way. And speaking of Sakari...." Tom wasn't sure how she would take his connotations. "You bit me." 

"So?" 

"So...that's the first thing in the 'Iw muv. You wanted to be my mate." 

"No, the _pon farr_ wanted me to be your mate." B'Elanna blushed, surprised at his knowledge. _Had he known that's what would have happened before?_ She hadn't forgotten what they had almost done on Sakari. _Oh! I'd have to kill myself if I'd bonded with Tom._ "It's not like you would have known the right thing to do. It wouldn't have happened." 

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure. I bet you or the _pon farr_ would have told me what to do." B'Elanna nodded, glad that he'd admitted he didn't know about the 'Iw muv before now. 

"You're probably right. But get this straight, it would have been the _pon farr_!" 

"Still, Klingons don't divorce." 

"They don't when both parties are Klingon. My parents divorced. I'd divorce you too if we'd completed the 'Iw muv accidentally." Tom felt his heart drop at her matter-of-fact statement. 

"I don't doubt it," he grumbled as the holodeck came into view. B'Elanna felt a bit guilty. Tom was nothing but kind to her on Sakari and if what the rumors said were true, she might not want to give him up so easily. What she said was a bit harsh. 

"Sorry, Tom. It just wouldn't be right to hold you to an ancient Klingon custom you have no knowledge of." 

"I'd hope you'd have let that be my decision, B'Elanna. I think you'd learn to like me." B'Elanna grabbed Tom's arm to stop him outside of Holodeck Three. 

"Say, Tom. About practicing those rituals of bonding? I-" she couldn't believe she was saying this. She felt somewhat that since Tom's behaved so gentlemanly on Sakari, he deserved a small chance. "I'd like to go on a date with you." _There I said it._

"What did you have in mind?" Tom fought the urge to sweep her into his arms. He felt elated. B'Elanna suddenly looked shy and unsure of herself. 

"I had just finished reading about first dates and one of the suggested ideas was ice skating. I've never been. I wondered if you would want to take me?" 

"Say no more. I have just the program." Tom turned to input a few codes into the holodeck console. The first set himself a reservation for two hours and the second started his program. B'Elanna didn't let go of Tom's arm. 

"This is just practice, Tom. Don't go getting yourself any ideas," B'Elanna warned. 

"Alright, that should do it. And I'll be a perfect gentleman." B'Elanna found that she didn't doubt him. "Ready?" B'Elanna nodded as the holodeck doors opened revealing a white and cold room. 

"What is all this?" B'Elanna stepped inside tentatively. Small white flakes fell from the simulated sky. She looked up. Her skin tingled from the cold flakes as they fell on her cheeks. Tom stepped inside too, prompting the holodeck's doors to close behind him. _Wow._ He turned B'Elanna to face him by her shoulders. 

"It's snow." He paused. "You're beautiful." B'Elanna looked down, but Tom didn't miss the dusting of blush that graced her cheeks, nose and ears. The later two were probably due to the cold. "It's true." He knelt his head down and lifted her face to his to kiss her. She pulled back immediately. 

"Hey, hey. My book said that kisses happened at the _end_ of the first date. Are we done already? Is this," she gestured around her "skating?" 

"Sorry, Miss By-the-Book. And no this isn't ice skating, my beauty." _A petname?_

"Well let's get started, love." Tom raised an eyebrow. 

"Love? Did your book tell you to call me that? Or do you actually love me?" 

"As a matter of fact, the book did. And I suggest you get off the 'does she love me train' unless you'd prefer I call you dick instead?" Tom laughed as B'Elanna shivered. "It's freezing! Does it need to be so cold? Computer, raise temperature—" 

"No! You'll melt the snow." 

"It's holographic." She stressed holographic. "It isn't real. It won't melt." 

"Still, it's better not to be warm when ice skating." 

"Fine. Can you at least program us some warmer clothes then?" B'Elanna wrapped her arms around herself. Tom wrapped his arms around her as well. She allowed it, only because her shivering had now started causing her to shake uncontrollably. 

"Tom," she warned after a moment. 

"Sorry," he apologized without letting go of her. "Computer, access transporter logs for B'Elanna Torres and Tom Paris." 

"Access approved," the computer chimed happily. 

"Access the old world records of Russia. Select and provide the warmest clothing from their winter catalogue for B'Elanna and I. Include the fluffiest earmuffs for B'Elanna and hand warmers for myself." The requested clothing shimmered into existence on their forms. The last item to appear were a pair of white, fluffy earmuffs for B'Elanna. She pulled herself out of Tom's grasp to touch them. 

"You can still hear me alright?" B'Elanna nodded. Although muffled, she could hear Tom. From head to toe, B'Elanna was warm despite the frigid air all around them. She stuck her lightly gloved hands into her pockets. Tom pulled out a hand warmer from each pocket, popped the bubbles inside and shook them vigorously before sticking them back into his pockets. "Here." He grabbed B'Elanna's hands from her pockets and placed them into his own. The action brought B'Elanna closer to Tom and she could see his breathe condense above her nose. She almost pulled her hands away, uncomfortable with their closeness until she realized that Tom's pockets were very warm. She leaned her head against his chest and sank into his fluffy puff jacket. He wrapped his hands back around B'Elanna, smiling. _I could do this for the whole two hours,_ Tom thought to himself. 

"Ready to skate?" She asked. As much as he hated to, he unwrapped his arms around B'Elanna's lithe form so that they could walk to the skate rental booth. 

"Absolutely." B'Elanna pulled her right hand from Tom's pocket and stuck it into her own, taking the hand warmer with, mischievously. She kept her left hand in his pocket and was pleased when Tom's hand joined hers. _Relax, this is all just pretend._ Tom returned his hand to his left pocket. 

"Hey! You took it," he accused as B'Elanna acted innocent. 

"I didn't take anything, love." 

"Don't you 'love' me, girlie. You're guilty, I know it." He turned to grab her arm and pull it from her pocket. She squealed, holding the hand warmer in her hand above and behind her head. 

"No! Get away, Tom." He didn't since she was laughing. He lunged at her hand and managed to grab her wrist. He brought it down to their heaving chests and plucked the hand warmer from her fingers. Trapped, B'Elanna looked at him. He wore a mischievous grin and his eyes were two warm pools, baring his soul to her. Tom dipped his head toward hers in an attempt to kiss her again. He paused, his lips millimeters from hers, waiting. B'Elanna took the invitation he offered. Closing her eyes, she pressed her lips to Tom's and gently melted in his strong, warm arms. She didn't want to admit it, but in many ways, this was the moment that had decided their fate. They fought for dominance once B'Elanna made the mistake of sighing into the kiss. Tom won by a small margin. When they pulled away they were breathless. Tom pressed his forehead and nose to B'Elanna's. 

"How's that for a first kiss?" He felt as her chest rose and fell against his sweetly. 

"Great," she replied breathlessly. They remained like this for a moment longer to catch their breath. "We should go get skates," B'Elanna suggested once her head stopped swimming. 

They approached the small, sheltered booth hand-in-hand. A petite woman in red snow gear sat at the booth curling a lock of dark brown hair around the pointer and middle finger of her right hand. When Tom pressed his hand to the counter, she looked up, stopped curling her hair, and pulled her booted feet off of the counter, suddenly all business. 

"Two skates, one size 11 men's and one—" He looked to B'Elanna who was blushing. Whether it was from the cold air or his foot size, he couldn't be sure. 

"Size 7 women's." The woman disappeared behind the counter as Tom gave B'Elanna's hand a squeeze. She leaned against his side, contemplating if foot size really related to dick size like Seska told her once when B'Elanna caught her admiring Chakotay's rather large feet. Tom breathed deep, filling his lungs with cold and the scent of B'Elanna. She smelled sweet, like apples and warp engines. The woman returned with the skates and handed them to Tom and B'Elanna who took them and walked to where she pointed. 

"Benches are over there. Bring your regular shoes back here when you change." Tom led B'Elanna by the hand gleefully. He hadn't felt so giddy since high school at his first dance with Megan Dour. _She was a good dancer,_ he recalled. Tom sat down on the bench and B'Elanna sat next to him, hips touching even though the bench was long enough for both of them to lay on it head to toe. He leaned forward to start undoing his boots and pull them off. B'Elanna followed suit. 

"So, ever skate before?" B'Elanna chimed after she'd gotten the skates on her feet. 

"Yes. Hockey is one of my favorite sports. I begged my father to let me take up hockey. He wouldn't let me, citing the numerous broken fingers and concussions suffered by hockey players. I wouldn't be able to fly with broken fingers and a jelly brain." 

"I'm nervous." It was true, but B'Elanna knew that it wasn't entirely for the new experience of skating. She was nervous about skating with Tom and permitting this dating experiment between them. She didn't think she was ready to be in a relationship with him, but their kiss earlier had been so electric that she was willing to try. Of course, she'd keep the pretense of 'practicing'. 

"Don't worry, I'll help you and catch you if you fall." It was probably the nicest thing anyone had ever said to her and he didn't even know. Even though her Klingon side spat at the prospect of needing help, her human half was gently touched. The two of them busied themselves with the rest of their skates. Tom glanced at B'Elanna's laces. He tugged on the loop of one and decided that they were tight enough. "Good job." He stood gracefully and held out a hand for B'Elanna to take. Her Klingon side chose this time to rear its head. She refused the gesture and pushed herself to her own feet. The odd sensation of only standing on a thin line disoriented her and she fell forward. She caught herself with her left foot, but that brought her into Tom's awaiting arms. For the third time today, Tom wrapped his arms around B'Elanna. She looked up at him, debating if she was angry or touched. She decided on touched and planted a kiss on his cheek swiftly. 

"Let's go turn in our shoes then," she said. Tom nodded and took her by her hand to lead them back to the booth. They placed their boots on the counter, not bothering to check with the lady there before going to the rink. It was a large manmade rink. Along the edges were snow covered bags of sand. The ice itself was pristine. The holographic characters didn't leave any marks on the ice and neither would they. 

Tom stepped onto the ice and tested his skates, making a small precise circle. B'Elanna was impressed. When he returned, he offered his hand to B'Elanna, not really expecting her to take it. Remembering her earlier fumble, she silenced her Klingon side and took his hand as she timidly stepped onto the ice. Once standing with both feet on the ice, Tom took the time to show her how to push off by using the toe of the skate, how to turn by leaning to the side and crossing his outer foot over his inner foot, and how to stop by twisting his knees and hips to the side so the skates turned ninety degrees and sent up chips of ice. 

"Want to go around the rink together?" B'Elanna nodded and took his hand. The circle around the rink would give her a chance to become accustomed to the skates on her feet. They went around slowly, dodging slower skaters and letting smaller children in hockey gear go past them. They watched the figure skater practicing in the middle of the rink. Her twists and turns were so beautiful that B'Elanna wished she could do the same. 

"That would be a sight to see." She didn't realize she'd said her wish aloud. "I'm sure I could program someone to teach you how to do that." B'Elanna looked up at Tom. 

"Would you? I'd like that." 

"Of course, and I'll come to every one of your recitals." B'Elanna blushed as he squeezed her hand. They finished their circuit, B'Elanna feeling more graceful than ever. 

"Do you think you can show me how to make a jump?" 

"Sure! Computer, remove all holocharacters from the rink." The characters faded out of existence, returning to the holodeck's buffer. B'Elanna marveled at the wide expanse before her. She didn't notice when Tom wound up to push her out into the middle. 

"Tom!" She squealed. By some stroke of luck, she didn't fall. Tom skated to her side with his arms behind his back, acting like he'd been born on the ice. 

"Nice balance." He came to rest his hands on her waist from behind. "I just had to check before trying to teach you to jump. There are six jumps. Three of them you take off of the edge of the blade and three of them you take off of your toe pick. I'm going to teach you the easiest first: the salchow." B'Elanna nodded. She felt warm under Tom's hands but she didn't move away because she wanted him to continue. Tom pulled away from her skating backwards. B'Elanna watched in awe as he bent his left leg, turned his right around and spun, landing on his right with his arms outstretched in front and behind and his other leg straight out behind him. 

"Wow." Tom skated up to her, stopping just short by twisting his knees and hips to the side to send ice chips as high as B'Elanna's waist. 

"The first thing is to skate backwards. Can you do that?" B'Elanna pushed off with her right heel and began to skate backwards. Slowly at first but then picking up speed as she got used to the motion. She tried to turn in a wide circle towards Tom backwards but didn't step far enough back and crashed to the ice. Tom skated quickly to her side. 

"Ow." B'Elanna examined her hands before standing. _Guess the safety protocols are off. That would explain why I felt so cold before._ Thanks to her gloves, her hands weren't skinned. She was able to get up easily enough with Tom's help. 

"Want to keep trying?" B'Elanna nodded. "When you make a turn like that, try stepping your back foot out further. It helps if you lean forward a little." Tom skated a little ways away from her to demonstrate. B'Elanna started to skate backwards again. She managed a full circle this time back to Tom. She beamed like a child getting good marks. 

"Nice! The next thing to remember is that the jump starts on your outside back heel and slides to your outside toe like if you were jumping in place. You also land on your outside back heel. A thought occurred to Tom. "Spin around for me." B'Elanna spun over her left shoulder. "Good, you're like most skaters. You spin to the left so you will land on your right foot." Tom began to imitate the jump slowly. "When you jump, you want your left arm out front for balance. Your right leg begins outstretched, but when you are ready to jump, you bring it in as you bend your knee. It goes back out again when you land." 

"Try it with me." B'Elanna copied his movements in place until Tom was satisfied that she was used to the order and positioning of her limbs. "Good. Let's see you do it!" B'Elanna skated backwards from Tom with ease. After a few strokes she bent, bringing her leg close, jumped and turned. She didn't quite make the landing and collapsed, sliding on the ice until she came to a stop. 

"Ow." B'Elanna didn't think she hurt herself so she pulled herself back up and tried again. This time, she skated towards Tom. On her second attempt she landed correctly, though a little wobbly. _Yes! But I can do better._ B'Elanna prepared for another jump. She landed worse than the first time. Her ankle bent unnaturally under her weight and she collapsed on top of it next. "Ow, ow, ow." 

"B'Elanna!" She heard Tom sprint to her. While he was busy, she hissed as she pivoted her weight off of her ankle. To her untrained eye, it didn't look broken but she couldn't be sure. It hurt a damn hell of a lot. Tom finally reached her side. He offered her his hands to help her up but she refused. "Now's not the time to go all Klingon on me." 

"I don't think I can stand on it," she reprimanded. Tom slapped his comm badge. 

"Computer, initiate a site to site transport to Sick Bay." The two of them shimmered out of the holodeck and appeared in Sick Bay. B'Elanna sat on the floor as Kes came around the corner. Their warm clothing and skates had shimmered out of existence upon their arrival. 

"B'Elanna, are you alright?" Kes asked her. 

"I hurt my ankle. I don't think I can get to a biobed from here." 

"That's alright; I can come to you." Kes neared B'Elanna with a medical tricorder. The readings told her that B'Elanna had fractured a few metatarsals and pulled the muscle there. Kes stood to grab an osteoregenerator from the closest tray and held it over B'Elanna's ankle. "A few hairline fractures and a sprain. Nothing I can't fix in a few moments." Once the tricorder confirmed that the bones were healed, Kes stood and grabbed a dermal regenerator for B'Elanna's muscle fibers. She held it over her ankle for a few moments. "All set." Kes smiled. B'Elanna tested her ankle, rolling it around a few times before she let Tom help her to her feet if only so she had the chance to touch him. Once on her feet, she shifted her weight from side to side and then went from ball to heel on her injured foot. Everything seemed fine to her. Other than a faint soreness that was already fading fast, her ankle felt just like it had before the rink. 

"Thanks Kes. It feels like new." 

"Anytime, B'Elanna." B'Elanna turned to Tom as Kes walked back to where she was helping the Doctor with some cultures. She still held his hands and was glad Kes didn't say anything as she left for the Doctor. She worked to convince herself that she still held his hand because of her injury. 

"How much time left on the holodeck do you think we had?" 

"Probably only a few more minutes anyway." 

"It's late. Or early, I guess, depending on how you look at it. I think it's time I went to bed." Suddenly shy, B'Elanna looked down at her bare feet. "Walk me to my quarters?" 

"Sure. Want to grab our shoes from the holodeck on the way?" Tom asked, misinterpreting the point of her gaze. B'Elanna was grateful for the opportunity. 

"That's a good idea." She linked her arm with Tom's as they made their way to the holodeck. "So what's the next chapter that you have for reading?" 

"Bedroom Practices." Tom blushed. B'Elanna laughed. 

"I'm sure that one will be a page turner." 

"It will, only too bad I don't have anyone to practice them on." 

"Maybe you can convince Harry." Recalling their game earlier. Tom pushed. 

"What do you think it would take to convince..._Harry_?" The way he said Harry's name, B'Elanna realized he had picked up on her game. She wasn't entirely expecting him to so she didn't have an answer right away. 

"Probably some good old-fashioned romancing." 

"Gee, I wonder what Harry's favorite flower is." Tom looked at B'Elanna sideways as they walked down the hall, shoulders touching. 

"I think it's orange tiger lilies." 

"I'll have to get him some." B'Elanna pawed at the control panel outside the holodeck, feeling feather light. The door slid open to reveal an empty room covered in distinctive holodeck squares and trusses. Their shoes were a little ways inside the empty expanse. They grabbed them quickly and left to go to B'Elanna's quarters. When they reached the door, B'Elanna fidgeted, not ready to enter her code yet since she _wanted_ Tom to kiss her. Tom pulled her body close to him by her waist and dipped his head to her. She lifted herself slightly on her toes and slid her arms around his neck to kiss him. _Kahless, I want him. It was too bad,_ B'Elanna recalled, _that sleeping with someone on the first date was frowned upon, not to mention that this whole thing was supposed to be pretend._ She knew couldn't very well welcome him inside unless she was willing to just be a notch in his belt and admit that this wasn't pretend. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ˆAlmost decided to call this _Human Rituals of Boning_.


	2. Primed for Sin

B'Elanna woke comfortable. The PADD she had been reading last night rested a few inches from her fingers. She paused a moment to see what she recalled of **Second Date: Quiet Company or Thrilling Experience**. She couldn't remember anything other than the title at the moment. She must have been tired when she was reading to have forgotten everything. She debated picking it up again. She had Gamma shift today, a rarity, so she had plenty of time before she had to get ready to report to her station. She got out of bed, craving some tea to keep her warm. When she returned to her bed she cozied up under the blankets and set her tea on the nightstand beside her, replacing it with the PADD resting there. B'Elanna turned on the PADD and was greeted with the first page of the chapter. _No wonder I didn't remember anything, I'd fallen asleep before the end of the first page._ She skimmed the reading to see if any of it sounded familiar. When it didn't, she settled in to read from the beginning. 

Upon successful completion of the first date. B'Elanna briefly wondered if she would call her and Tom's date _successful_ since she had fractured her ankle. The couple will move on to their second date soon after. The time frame between first and second dates according to current records can be as short as a day and as long as a year. Often the intention to meet may be discussed at the end of the first date. Failing this, the couple could reach out to each other by other means to schedule a second date. The second date tends to take on a more intimate form. The idea is to check the other for sexual and emotional compatibility without straying into sex itself. B'Elanna was surprised by how drawn out a human relationship could be before the two finally had sex. 

Common second date ideas include: movie theater, picnic, dinner or lunch at one of the partners' houses, attending a dance or party together, or attending a couple-oriented class together. B'Elanna glanced over the list again. She thought dinner might be nice. The party or the couple-oriented class might also be fun. She wondered if she could convince Tom to take her skating again. She had fun even if she did get hurt. The second date should provide ample opportunity for the prospective coupling to invade each other's personal space. These opportunities help the other gauge whether their partner's hygiene and scent are appealing. Scent is an important part of human dating. _Really? Well that would make sense why so few Klingon-Human relationships exist._ In a smell, humans can judge if their prospective mate is too closely related to them or has poor hygiene that could put themselves or future offspring in danger. This is, of course, all done subconsciously. _Typical._ B'Elanna rolled her eyes. _Leave it to humanity to make lifelong commitments based on subconscious smell detection._ She wondered if she smelled good to Tom. Tom smelled good to her. 

If the couple kissed on the first date, then the second date can conclude with a make-out session where the couple can explore other bases. These bases will be covered in a later chapter. The second date is still too early to engage in sex. While not as bad as succumbing to sex after the first date, it is still frowned upon by both genders. B'Elanna wondered if Tom knew enough that a make-out session would be appropriate. She hoped he would. This session can be initiated by either party, however, it may make both parties more comfortable if the woman of the two did so. B'Elanna would have to keep that in mind if Tom asked her for another date. Would he? She had told him that the date was "practice." He might not take the initiative to ask her. It didn't matter. She wasn't bothered to ask him for a second date. There's no way he'd say no to her anyhow. 

The second date is still a continuation of the first date in that the couple will continue friendly banter and delve into deeper topics of conversation. These conversations may drift to topics necessary for childrearing such as career goals, religious beliefs, and even ideas around children such as desired number or gender. _Children._ B'Elanna had always hoped to have children of her own. She did have a desire to make them with someone human. She secretly hoped that doing so would help her kids not look quite so Klingon. She thought she would want at least two, either a boy and a girl or two girls. She didn't want more than four, but she thought that with the right person, they could convince her otherwise. Her thoughts went to Tom and wondering if he wanted children, how many, and what gender. _Well, they would have something to talk about on this second date._ It suddenly occurred to her that she had no idea what religion Tom subscribed to. If she had to guess, she'd guess some sort of Christianity judging from his blond hair and blue eyes. The disturbing thought that Tom could very well have Nazi ancestors crossed her mind briefly. She hoped not. 

B'Elanna looked over the beginning of the next chapter. **Third Date: To Bed**. She raised an eyebrow at the title. It wasn't hard to guess what the book meant by "To Bed". She began to read. 

The third date's success depends on the success of the previous two. The third date can take any form though it generally will reside at one or the other's homes. For this reason, good third dates include: dinner or lunch at one of their homes, a couple's game night, a comfortable movie night, or a combination of two of these suggestions. She thought a game night and dinner was appealing. 

The third date allows for a much more intimate setting than the first or second dates could. This is why the third date often ends with the two having sex. This is make or break sex. If it is not satisfactory for either of the two, the relationship is doomed to end. B'Elanna wasn't worried that a night with Tom would be a let down given the rumors she'd heard. She was a little worried she wouldn't be good enough for him though. She could be too rough for him, too loud or too quiet, or just plain bad. The success of the third date typically ends the formal courtship period of human dating. This isn't the end of the courtship, however. Human couples often date for several months to a year before deciding to become lifelong partners. This decision can then take months or years to become reality. B'Elanna groaned. Klingon's became lifelong partners from the first successful night together. That it took so long for humans to decide irked her. She hoped that if things went well with Tom, that their courtship wouldn't take nearly as long. 

After the third date, the couple will continue with various dates and other social events to best judge their partner in a variety of situations. Once both parties are satisfied, one party, typically the male, will propose to the other. If accepted, the couple with become lifelong partners. 

**=/\=**

Tom walked to his room floating along on cloud nine. Even though B'Elanna hurt herself, he judged their first date to be a success. He wondered if she would ask him for a second one. He didn't think it was appropriate for him to ask her since she did say that their first date was only pretend so that she could have some practice. He secretly hoped that she wouldn't need any more practice, that he would be her _last_ first date. 

He padded over to his couch to look for the PADD that he knew he left there during the Red Alert. He found it and settled onto the couch to read the next chapter: **Bedroom Practices**. He was excited to read this particular chapter. 

Much is known of Klingon bedroom practices. Our goal is to place all of the known practices in one place and to elaborate on any that are foreign to most humanoid species. Now, the qep is the first occasion of bedroom practices. It and the 'Iw muv differ from typical bedroom practices, in that these two are choreographed movements around the other. 

In the qep, the smelling of the neck and wrists triggers its beginning. It continues with a bout of wrestling to gain dominance. If the male cannot gain dominance over the female, then the qep will not continue. Rough foreplay allows each party to assess their strength to determine if it is enough to pursue. If one or the other party decides that their prospective lover is too weak, then the qep will end. 

In the 'Iw muv, the focus is less on dominance and strength as it is on joining two life forces. As mentioned before, the 'Iw muv begins with the female biting the male's cheek or jaw to hold his blood in her mouth. The male acquiesces by biting the top of the female's breast to hold her blood in his mouth. They mate for life by joining their blood between a shared kiss. 

After the 'Iw muv comes the tlhoghDaj ram, or wedding night. The tlhoghDaj ram is also choreographed for Klingons. It begins with the male reciting poetry for their mate while dodging various thrown objects. The objects thrown are typically not sharp, but can easily cause a concussion. If the male is hit by one of these objects, he is expected to continue regardless. Anything less would be an admission of weakness and reason enough for the female to leave. It is well known that a broken clavicle on the wedding night is a mark of good luck on the union. While the 'Iw muv is almost as binding as marriage, the tlhoghDaj ram is the final seal on their union. It is not considered divorce for the female of an unsuccessful tlhoghDaj ram to leave her then mate. After a poem or two, the male must tackle the female and begin to take her by force. _Wow._ Tom let that fact sink in as he realized that by human definitions, every married Klingon woman had been raped by their husband and every married Klingon man succumbed to raping their wife. On the other hand, Tom once had a girlfriend who liked rape fantasy. Maybe this tlhoghDaj ram was nothing more than a rape fantasy taken to its Klingon extreme. Tom settled on that explanation since it made the most sense in the long run. He was sure that every Klingon beyond a certain age knew what a tlhoghDaj ram would look like. He wondered if B'Elanna was any different, if she expected to be taken on her tlhoghDaj ram. Tom blushed at the thought. He had enjoyed rape fantasy with his girlfriend. He hoped that didn't mean anything negative about himself. He just liked to overpower her and wouldn't do it to anyone who didn't ask him to explicitly. _Overpowering B'Elanna would be incredibly fun._ He figured he had something to fuel his next few self-love nights. He groaned, noticing that he was growing hard. But before he would do anything, he wanted to read about the bedroom taboos so that his upcoming fantasy could be the most accurate. 

The **Bedroom Taboos** chapter began with a list: 

\- Ropes or other restraints  
\- Video or audio recordings  
\- Undue sweetness, gentleness, or kindness  
\- Alcoholic intoxication  
\- Drug usage  
\- Public Sex  
\- Voyeurism  
\- Dress up or cross dressing  
\- Adult breastfeeding  
\- Urolagnia  
\- Scatology 

Most of the list didn't surprise him, but he was a little disappointed about seeing ropes and sweetness on the list of taboos. He was sure they had their reasons. Tom wondered if B'Elanna was secretly into one of the things on this list. He wouldn't do urolagnia or scatology, but public sex, ropes, or simple sweetness might be fun. 

Although this list is not complete, nor is it completely necessary to avoid everything on the list, it is gathered from several surveys by Klingon men and women of consenting age. The first item on this list is ropes or other restraints. Using restraints on one's mate shows weakness. Video and audio recordings show an unhealthy obsession with the sex over the person. Undue sweetness, gentleness, or kindness shows a weakness that could easily be used by an enemy against them. Alcohol and drugs are banned from the bedroom as both can make one groggy or weak. While Klingons are known for their rambunctious sexual appetites, public sex and voyeurism are taboo since sex is seen as a private, intimate matter. Dress up or cross dressing shows weakness, as does adult breastfeeding. Urolagnia and scatology mix the bathroom and the bedroom and will disgust most Klingons. These two practices were unknown to Klingons before meeting humans. Tom looked over the list again to commit it to memory. _Undue sweetness is a difficult one to avoid,_ he thought as he looked into the next chapter. 

As with the previous chapter, **Common Kinks** began with a list: 

\- Biting _No surprise there._  
\- Impact play  
\- Domination for both men and women  
\- Rough sex  
\- Anal sex for both men and women  
\- Knife play  
\- Risqué role-playing  
\- Lingerie  
\- Group sex  
\- Sensation play  
\- Orgasm control  
\- Latex  
\- Ban violation  
\- Katoptronophilia  
\- Auditory fetish 

Tom was pleased that there were more kinks than taboos. He was sure B'Elanna had a few of these. He thought biting and rough sex were no-brainers. He was a bit surprised by a few of the items on the list like domination and anal sex for both partners. What surprised him about domination was that in that scenario, someone would have to be submissive. He didn't think a Klingon could be submissive. He continued reading. 

Klingons enjoy many kinks. Additionally, some Klingons find that they do enjoy one or another of the taboos. Biting and rough sex have a special spot in the bedroom. Nearly every Klingon enjoys these kinks. Again, this list is not comprehensive but has arose from surveys completed by assenting Klingon adults. 

Domination and anal play are also popular kinks due to their more primal natures. Klingons also regard orgasm control as a form of higher level domination. Many Klingon women enjoy its rewards of longer, more intense orgasms. Knife play and impact play are also regarded as a form of domination. Unlike human knife play, these knifes typically are sharpened enough to break skin. Though the astute observer will realize that this isn't all too different from breaking skin through biting. Sometimes, impact play utilizes objects that can also break skin. 

Risqué role-playing often occurs in addition to the other kinks such as lingerie or latex body suits. Ban violation and sensation play give the performing mate greater control over their partner. Group sex offers a particular challenge. Usually group sex is performed between one female and many males but can also be done in reverse. Rarely does group sex include sex between anything other than a 1 to many ratio. The oddest of the kinks on this list are katoptronophilia and an auditory fetish. Katoptronophilia, or the sexual arousal caused by watching yourself and your partner engage in sexual activities, is a rather common kink. It is especially common as combined with other kinks such as domination or rough sex. Klingons have an acute sense of hearing. It is said that a Klingon can hear a whisper from three miles away. Tom wondered then how far his quarters were from B'Elanna's. Using audio stimulation in the form of dirty talk or sweet nothings, so long as these aren't overused, can be very arousing for a Klingon. 

"Hey, B'Elanna." To be safe, Tom spoke loudly to the empty room. He wasn't sure what he expected, seeing as how he couldn't be expected to hear her answer. "I just learned that Klingons can hear a whisper from three miles away. Can you hear me? ...B'Elanna~." He grinned mischievously. "I just read about bedroom practices, taboos and kinks. Do you have any? I'll tell you mine." He began listing on his fingers. "Domination, role-playing, lingerie, biting, rough sex, orgasm control, BDSM, and now auditory fetishes while I'm at it." He waited. When nothing happened for a few moments, he went back to reading. 

**=/\=**

B'Elanna dove into the next chapter that covered baseball bases. Her tea was long gone now, but she didn't care to get up. She was warm under the covers and genuinely interested in what this chapter had to offer her. 

Humans recognize four distinct stages of physical intimacy. They are summed up by the ancient and active American game of baseball. _Oooh._ The first base, so to speak, is kissing. The second is touching one another intimately in places such as the breasts or groin. The third is manual stimulation of the sexual organs. This includes finger penetration, oral stimulation, and hand jobs. Home base is the act itself: sex. Sex in humans takes a multitude of forms and humans utilize a number of kinks for their bedroom dances. 

"Hey, B'Elanna." B'Elanna looked up at her door, wondering if it had opened since she heard Tom's voice. It was only just louder than the usual din of voices and ship sounds she was accustomed to so she didn't really expect to see him at the door. She thought he could be behind the closed door. 

"Tom?" She asked loud enough so that if he was behind the door, then he would hear her. 

"I just learned that Klingons can hear a whisper from three miles away. Can you hear me? ...B'Elanna~." It was clear to B'Elanna that he hadn't heard her since his words didn't make sense for that context. She guessed he was in his quarters. "I just read about bedroom practices, taboos and kinks. Do you have any?" B'Elanna blushed. _I do._ "I'll tell you mine. Domination, role-playing, lingerie, biting, rough sex, orgasm control, BDSM, and now auditory fetishes while I'm at it." Her blush deepened as he began to list off his many kinks. She recognized all of them as ones she shared with him. _Should I answer? If I do, he'll do this to me every day._ She didn't mind that thought so much. Having Tom able to talk to her discreetly whenever he wanted and she was within_—How far had he said?—_three miles of him would be kind of fun and comforting. Decided, B'Elanna tapped her comm badge. 

"B'Elanna to Paris" Tom tapped his comm badge in awe. _So it is true...._

"Paris here." 

"Yes, I have kinks, and actually all of the ones you said, I share. I also like having sex in public but not getting caught and impact play." 

"Oh, public sex is a taboo according to my PADD. So is the B part of BDSM." B'Elanna blushed, glad that Tom couldn't see her but wishing to hide under her covers anyway. 

"I know that. I still like them. Public sex is probably my favorite actually." 

"Seeing as how we are practicing dating, do you care to practice bonding?" 

"Gods no! Pig!" A small, _small_ part of B'Elanna wanted to take him up on that offer, but they hadn't even had their second date together yet. The line was quiet for long enough to think that Tom had gone back to reading. 

"Tom?" 

"Yes, B'Elanna, my sweet?" His voice dripped with sarcasm and B'Elanna thought twice about the offer she planned to give him. After a moment she decided to still ask. 

"Want to practice a second date?" She knew that they were no longer practicing. She hoped that they would get to the third date under the pretense though. She wasn't sure that she wanted to end the third date in the manner which her PADD suggested. 

"Sure. What did you have in mind?" B'Elanna quickly scrolled back to the chapter on second dates to refresh her memory. Since she didn't know of any parties on the horizon she chose the other option that interested her. 

"How about a couples' class on something?" 

"Ahha! We're going to attend a couples' class on sex then?" 

"No!!" _But close to it._ If she had any hope of getting serious with Tom, she had to know if he was worthy of her. 

"I was thinking something involving bat'leths." Tom smirked, recalling that the bI'reS often used bat'leths. He decided to ask her about it slyly. 

"I thought this was practice. Is this your way of asking me to challenge you...to the bI'reS?" B'Elanna actually hid her head under her covers, embarrassed and ashamed that he caught on so quickly. _Stupid! I should have known that would be in his book. And it's not like he could be preparing for dating another Klingon on board Voyager._ She steeled herself by taking a deep breath and emerging from the covers for what she was about to say even if it went against her better judgement. 

"Yes, it is," scrambling, and unable to admit to Tom her motives, she added, "but it's only so you can get some practice too. It's only fair." 

"Then consider it a date. I challenge you, B'Elanna, to the bI'reS. Do you accept?" Tom wasn't so sure that there could be such a thing as a practice bI'reS. The whole Klingon courtship ritual seemed rather serious to him. 

"I accept," she growled back. Her heart was already racing for the event. "Meet me on the holodeck this Friday evening. I already have a program for us." 

"I'll see you then. Paris out." The comm link went silent at that. B'Elanna pulled herself out of bed. Her shift would begin soon and she still needed to get dressed. She could hardly contain herself and actually squealed for the promise of later. She recovered, brushing herself off casually and got ready for her shift. She didn't know it, but in another room, Tom moved to his bed, ready for some self-love. He knew Gamma shift started soon. He wasn't worried. He had the Delta shift this night and a new trick to try out. B'Elanna was on her way to engineering when she heard it. 

"Oh, B'Elanna." She stopped in her tracks. She moved to a console nearby and pulled up a map of the ship. _Crap. Was it too much to ask for a bigger ship?_ The schematics of _Voyager_ showed that the whole of the ship from port to stern was less than half a mile long. She thought the bulkheads might muffle sounds some and the fact that she was only half-Klingon probably prevented her from hearing everything. She leaned against the bulkhead contemplating. She could go to engineering and listen to Tom the whole time, probably blushing, or she could tell him to stop. She tapped her comm badge. 

"B'Elanna to Tom," she hissed. "Tom, what are you doing?" She asked in a hushed tone, not wanting to catch any passersby's attention. Mercifully, there were none. From his quarters, Tom tapped his comm badge with this left hand awkwardly. He still had his right wrapped around his penis. 

"What do you think I'm doing?" Tom asked slyly. He was sure she could guess. Now that the comm link was open, she could hear him through it instead. She walked quickly to her quarters and didn't answer until her door closed behind her. She would probably be late to her shift but she wouldn't have Tom's moaning reverberate through engineering or through her head. 

"You know I know what you are doing. Stop being so loud." B'Elanna closed the link. 

"Tom to B'Elanna." She refused to acknowledge him. His voice then reverberated in her head softly. "B'Elanna." _Damn it._ She accepted his call. 

"Fine Tom. I'll listen, you pig." She had half a mind to toss her comm badge in her bathroom and wait it out, but she couldn't be sure that Tom wouldn't ask her something. Her expression softened as she listened to Tom pleasure himself. His short gasps and moans stirred her stomachs gently. She resisted the urge to join him, but only barely. 

"I feel like I'm talking to a wall. Say something, B'Elanna." She chuffed. 

"Say what?" 

"I don't know, that you think I'm attractive? That you want to bed me? What you would do if you could?" B'Elanna contemplated his suggestions. 

"Tom, I think you're attractive." He moaned into the comm badge, making B'Elanna's stomachs flip a few times. Her hand drifted to her thigh and caressed herself there. "You're also cute and kind." B'Elanna's hand drifted higher of its own accord. Soon she slipped it between her underwear and skin. A moan of her own escaped from her lips as her fingers grazed over herself. Tom didn't miss it. 

"Did you decide to join me, B'Elanna?" 

"No," she said, but her body betrayed her when it uttered another soft moan. 

"You did." Tom groaned as he pictured B'Elanna waiting for him, readying herself for him before he mounted her. He decided to share his fantasy. "I have you pinned now. Your hands above your head. You squirm and—" he moaned as the image washed over him. He heard B'Elanna do the same. Her breathing was heavy and ragged, too. "—And you can feel me against you." B'Elanna gasped. She was already close due to it being a long time since she had allowed herself this pleasure. Tom's description wasn't helping her maintain control. "Do you like that?" 

"Yes, Tom, I do." She moaned into the comm link. Her pleasure carried through the link to Tom's awaiting ears. In turn, she could hear his pleasure as clear as if he were in the room with her. 

"You already took your clothes off for me, you temptress you." Tom gasped again as the pressure in his stomach moved south. He was close. "When you open your legs to me, I take the invitation to slide into you. I pause so we can both enjoy this feeling." B'Elanna penetrated herself with three fingers as he described sliding into her. It was no substitute but it would have to do for now. She moaned against her fingers. 

"Oooh, Tom. That feels nice." Tom's stomach fluttered at the compliment. 

"I'm moving in and out of you now, listening to the sounds of our flesh slapping each other. My hands are on your breasts and my mouth is on yours to explore and plunder." 

"Ah. Tom!" B'Elanna came to her hand with Tom on her mind. Her body rocked to the waves that came over her. B'Elanna's vocal orgasm pushed Tom over the edge. 

"B'Elanna," he moaned breathlessly. His hand stilled and he reached for the towel next to him to clean his hand and stomach. B'Elanna rested against the door, breathing heavily and still floating from her orgasm. After a long pause, Tom spoke. "So, you're going to be late to work then? You going to explain why?" 

"No way!" B'Elanna stood and washed her hands in her bathroom before heading from her quarters. "Talk to you later, Tom." 

"You too, B'Elanna." 

"Torres out." B'Elanna left her quarters to go to engineering. She floated down the hallway, feeling elated and mischievous. 

**=/\=**

Friday evening couldn't come soon enough. Tom was excited to try his new found knowledge with B'Elanna. After learning that she indeed wanted to do the bI'reS with him, he reviewed the chapter that covered it an several other sources. He wasn't sure how to use a bat'leth, but since B'Elanna said that it would be a class he figured that she would show him how. He wondered if their bI'reS would devolve immediately into the qep. After their phone_—comm?—_sex, he was looking forward to intimately knowing B'Elanna. Yet, their comm sex proved to him that this wasn't just practice so he wanted to make sure they didn't move too fast. He liked B'Elanna _a lot_. 

Tom also thought that they were at a stage where he could safely call her Be' without loosing his head or worse. He contemplated what her reaction would be. _Had anyone ever called her that?_ He guessed the answer was probably not or else she wouldn't be available for him. _Or maybe they had and she decapitated them._ The thought made him chuckle. He didn't think she had, but didn't think that would stop her if he pissed her off. Tom checked the time. 

"Computer. The time?" 

"The time is 1845." _Only 15 minutes._

"Computer, locate B'Elanna Torres." 

"B'Elanna Torres is on Holodeck Two." _So she was already practicing._ Tom left his quarters to join her. The door to the holodeck opened swiftly. It revealed a darkened cave where B'Elanna was using a bloodied bat'leth on a holographic Klingon male. 

"B'Elanna?" She grunted her response but didn't take her gaze off of the Klingon warrior she currently sparred with. She yelled, and pushed him to the ground, holding a point to his neck. 

"You lost," she growled. 

"You are a worthy opponent. It is an honor," he spat. B'Elanna pushed the point forward and slid it to the side, killing the hologram. He fell to the ground in a pool of his holographic blood. He shimmered out of existence a moment later. 

"Tom. You're early." She turned to face him. One hand rested on her hip and the other held the bat'leth from its middle at her side. 

"Not as early as you are. You planned to practice and beat me then?" 

"I just needed to refresh my memory since I was going to teach you after all." She sauntered over to him, gesturing to the side of the cave that he had not noticed before. "Pick your bat'leth." Tom looked over at the bat'leths hanging on the wall to his left. He walked over to them, considering them. He wasn't sure what a good bat'leth looked like. He picked the closest one off of the wall. Tom moved it up and down in front of him. Then he held it in the center. It tilted to the right. _Not this one._ He set it back. B'Elanna watched as Tom perused the bat'leths. She smirked when he saw him replace the one that wasn't balanced. Eventually, Tom found a bat'leth that suited him. It was a little shorter than it should be, but since he was a bit bigger than her, he wouldn't be at any disadvantage because of it. 

"You know to not hold the pointy side right?" Tom chuckled. 

"Yes, Be'." B'Elanna lunged at him. 

"What did you call me?" She had the bat'leth to his throat in an instant. One of the sharp points drew blood from his throat. Tom leaned back slightly. _I guess the safety protocols are off...._ His back touched the wall of bat'leths and they clanked against each other behind him. 

"B'Elanna calm down. I just said Be' is all." 

"I could decapitate you for that," the lower points of her bat'leth swept against his stomach just above his legs, "or worse." Tom gulped and shifted his body away from her. 

"I'm sorry, B'Elanna. I won't call you that again. I thought I could." B'Elanna relaxed and stepped away from him, lowering her bat'lath. 

"Not yet, Hotshot." Tom picked up on her wording. 

"Yet?" He shot her a classic Tom Paris smirk. "You mean you'd like me to eventually?" B'Elanna shrugged her shoulders. She wouldn't admit it, but she was hoping he would. 

"How about this, if you can beat me, I'll let you call me Be'." 

"What happens if you win?" 

"If I win..." B'Elanna paused. She didn't know what she wanted. "If I win then you owe me dinner." 

"Alright B-" he stopped himself just in time. "B'Elanna." B'Elanna shot him a look that let him know he didn't escape detection. Tom changed the subject. "So how do I use one of these?" He spun the bat'leth with his hands. 

"Not like that," she laughed. Tom stopped before he hurt himself. She gripped her own bat'leth at the two sides. "You hold it like this most of the time." Tom copied her. He found that is was a bit easier to swing down and up this way. "And you strike like this." She thrust her bat'leth forward as she stepped forward. Then she sliced up and down. "Think you got that?" 

"Yeah." He tested his swing and struck B'Elanna's arm. She hissed. "Do you want to turn the safety protocols back on?" B'Elanna waited. Then she spun to strike Tom. She sliced his chest. 

"And miss out on the scent of your blood? No." Tom stumbled away from the wall of bat'leths and brought his own up to shield himself. The metals clanked and slid against each other. He pushed forward with a grunt and threw B'Elanna backwards. 

"Ahh!" She charged to meet him again, surprised by his strength. She would not let him win. Their bat'leths beat out a tinny rhythm as the two danced around each other in the cavern. 

"If I win," Tom grunted from the effort of talking and battling, "will you still have dinner with me?" B'Elanna pushed against him. It was her turn to overpower him. She rushed at him when he stepped back but wasn't able to cut him since he held his bat'leth to meet hers. 

"I don't plan on letting you win, Tom. You're no match for me." 

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure." He pressed against B'Elanna and drove her against a wall. His knees butted against the wall as well. One landed between her legs and he brushed it upwards. She gasped. The thrill of battle had her already aroused. "I might be able to distract you enough to win." B'Elanna pushed back but her elbows didn't have the room to maneuver being pinned to the wall as she was. 

"You can't!" Tom propped up his knee so that it pressed firmly against the juncture at her legs. 

"I've read enough about Klingons to have the upper hand. And you were so kind as to tell me all about your kinks." B'Elanna growled out her frustration of being pinned. She tried twisting away but only succeeded in grinding her body against Tom's thigh. Tom pressed his upper body against hers harder to ensure that she couldn't escape. One of the points on his bat'leth rested on her collarbone. 

"I could ask the computer to drum up some holograms to watch as I took you," he said huskily. "Or I could cut on you a little." As he said this, he pressed the bat'leth through B'Elanna's suit and sliced at her collarbone. She gasped from pain and pleasure. "Admit it. You lost." Her struggles ceased. 

"Fine," she spat. "You're a worthy opponent and mate." Tom pulled away from her then to allow her to move from the wall. 

"I think I beat you too easily. Don't think you are worthy for me, Be'," Tom teased. B'Elanna shot him a look that he ignored. He'd won the right to call her that. 

"You're not Klingon; that doesn't matter." Tom turned to put his bat'leth away. 

"No, I guess not. You're lucky." He looked over his shoulder at her with a grin. Then he placed his bat'leth on the wall. B'Elanna moved to follow him with her bat'leth as well. "Did you like our second date?" 

"Oh, I'm not done with you yet. That was only the Klingon half of it. We have desert in my quarters yet." 

"Desert?" Tom grabbed her waist after she put her bat'leth away. He brought his head close to hers and whispered. "What sort of desert?" 

"It's just pudding, Tom." Tom released her, sighing. 

"You're no fun, you know. My book suggested that the qep often happens right after the bI'reS." 

"Yes, but this is also only our second date. Humans don't do that on their second dates." 

"Humans do with me." Tom chuckled as the headed out of the holodeck. 

"Good thing I'm only half human then." 

"So then you will half put out with me: second base at least?" B'Elanna shot him a look when she recalled what second base was thanks to her reading. 

"No, I don't think so." 

"Whatever you say, Be'." B'Elanna was glad she was the only Klingon on board. She thought that maybe the Captain might know the significance. She had helped her from the dark doctor's attempt on her life due to what she remembered of her Klingon physiology class at the Academy. She could have taken one on culture as well. B'Elanna wasn't worried that the Captain would spread rumors though. It wasn't her style. 

**=/\=**

B'Elanna keyed in her code and the door opened for them. They stepped in, B'Elanna pulled Tom in by the hand and walked to her bathroom to collect the dermal regenerator from there. 

"Planning on a shower then, Be'?" B'Elanna shot him a scathing look. 

"No, pig." She picked up the regenerator that she was looking for. "I wanted my regenerator." 

"Your regenerator?" Tom raised an eyebrow. Tom had one in his med pack since he was trained as a medic, but no one else would have one normally. 

"Yes, _my_ regenerator." She began to heal Tom's chest. The skin closed at the green light. "The Doctor gave it to me after he got sick of treating me for my various cuts and bruises from my holodeck programs." 

"That doesn't sound like the Doctor." 

"I may have also given him a very hard time when I showed up." Tom laughed and took the regenerator from B'Elanna when she finished healing him. 

"That sounds like him." He took the regenerator to heal B'Elanna's arms and collarbone. "Did I bruise your back when I pushed you to the wall?" He asked when he finished. 

"I'm not sure." She turned around so her back faced Tom and unzipped her jumpsuit. She slid the sleeves down her shoulders to reveal her bra and back. Tom couldn't resist, he pressed a few kisses down her ridged back. It was ridged sharper than a human's but not as sharply as a full Klingon's. B'Elanna shuddered at the gentle touch. No one had ever kissed her spine before. She was glad that Tom didn't seem to mind the sharp ridges that lay there. Lovers of hers in the past were less than excited to see them, even if they wanted to be with a Klingon. The notion that they were displeased with her half-Klingon physiology yet wanted to bed a Klingon themselves made her laugh. 

"What's so funny?" B'Elanna didn't realize that she had laughed aloud until he asked. 

"Just thinking back to the other people I've been with." She leaned her head back, her hair brushed against Tom's face. He breathed in her smell: apples and warp plasma and sweat from their battling. "Any bruises back there?" Tom pulled away and examined her back with his eyes and hands. He didn't need his hands to examine her, but if he could touch her, he would. 

"Anything sore?" 

"No. Ow—there." Tom kissed the sore spot on her right shoulder. Then he scanned the regenerator over her back. 

"There," He said as B'Elanna pulled her jumpsuit back over her shoulders and zipped it closed before turning around. "You'll have to tell me about these other _people_." 

"Only if you tell me about yours." She laughed. 

"That might take a while." 

"That's okay. We have plenty of time." B'Elanna moved out of his reach and went to the replicator to get some pudding cups for the two of them. "Six chocolate pudding cups." Tom followed her as far as the couch and sat down. 

"Well the first was when I was seventeen. There was this girl from school. I haven't thought of her in a long time." He wouldn't admit it to B'Elanna, but he hadn't thought of any of his past lovers since reuniting with B'Elanna on _Voyager_. 

"My parents were gone for a Starfleet meeting off world. I invited Meg over. I only intended to partake in some good old-fashioned kissing. However, she had other plans. She was my first. I can't say I was very good. She dumped me a few weeks later." B'Elanna fished out two spoons while juggling the pudding cups, laughing. She set them on the coffee table and sat down next to Tom with her legs under her. She pulled Toby the targ into her lap and pet his back around the spines. 

"Then there was a girl I was steady with at the Academy for a few years." B'Elanna thought about her Academy years. The two of them would have overlapped for a year when she first arrived. She wondered what things would have been like if she knew Tom then. _Would he have gotten mixed up in Caldik Prime or would she have been one of the casualties? Would she have graduated the Academy?_ She almost wished that she had been the steady girlfriend. 

"I honed my technique with her. But after Caldik Prime, she didn't want to speak with me again." Tom went silent. B'Elanna offered him a pudding cup and a spoon. She also took some for herself and opened it. 

"What about after you left Starfleet?" 

"No one serious. Just some girls from bars who would have me between my drinking. What about you?" 

"Oh. Would you believe it if I told you my first was a girl?" 

"Yes, but do tell." B'Elanna laughed as she put some pudding into her mouth. 

"I guess it was my way of acting out against my mother. She was kind. I think girls sometimes are that way more, especially with someone less attractive than themselves." 

"Less attractive?" Tom baulked. "You are the most attractive woman on board." B'Elanna blushed. 

"More so than Kes?" Tom nodded, sticking some pudding into his mouth. "And the Captain?" 

"Of course, Be'." _There is that nickname again._ It had rather begun to grow on her. He brushed some hair to behind her left ear. If she wasn't currently putting pudding into her mouth, he would have kissed her. Instead he brushed his lips to her forehead, kissing the four ridges there. "Continue?" 

"We just messed around some. Caressing, touching, kissing, that sort of thing. After that there was Caleb at the Academy." She laughed. "He was a disaster!" 

"How so?" 

"Well, he never let us rough house, even if it was him for me. When I pressed the issue he dumped me. Max was next. He was kind but he got too serious too quickly. I wasn't looking for that." B'Elanna finished her first pudding cup at the same time as Tom. She grabbed another. "Max was the last one. He started talking about marriage and children. It was all too much. Part of me has always thought that I left the Academy to get away from him, too." 

"Sorry to hear that. I'd have liked to know you or get assigned somewhere together earlier." 

"I was just thinking what would have happened if we met sooner. It's hard to believe that we were in the same place for six months like that." 

"Yeah, it is." Tom spooned some more pudding into his mouth. "So that's it then? Only three others?" 

"You're not jealous are you?" 

"No. Just surprised, seeing as you are absolutely irresistible to me," he half growled. He leaned forward and kissed her this time as neither of them had pudding in their mouths. Tom pressed himself to her, slightly annoyed by the stuffed targ. He pulled back to take him out of her arms but B'Elanna stopped him. 

"No, not yet. I still have more questions." 

"Like what?" 

"Well my book said that the second date is the time to ask about things like career goals, children, and religion." 

"None, many and mostly secular Judaism." 

"Really?" 

"My religion surprises you?" B'Elanna laughed. 

"Yeah actually. I thought with your hair and eyes..." 

"That I'd be a Nazi descendant? I did have German ancestors. They left Germany for America back during World War I. There's a rumor that my great-great-great-great-great-great—you get the idea—grandfather was actually a Nazi officer for a time. He disagreed with the practice of killing innocents knowing full well that his family was in danger too. He left before the roundups got too intense. I have no idea how he managed not to be caught before." 

"Do you celebrate anything?" 

"Just Chanukah." B'Elanna smiled at the old catch in his throat. It reminded her of Klingon. "When I was younger, there was an orthodox family with a bunch of children that held Shabbas dinners. They invited us over every week. I went a few times. There was a time when I thought they would set me up with their eldest daughter: Yehudis. They seemed to preen me every time I was there. Had me say berakhot, wear a kippah. That sort of thing. I think they soon realized that I was having the opposite affect on their children. When I looked them up later I found out that the oldest who could remember me ended up abandoning orthodoxy." 

"I'd like to celebrate Chanukah with you next time." 

"You would? Let's see, by Earth's year, we have another month yet. What about you? Career, children, religion?" 

"Well chief engineer is a good place. If we get back to Starfleet and I'm not arrested for my Maquis ties, then I'd like to continue that. Maybe go back to the Academy." 

"I don't think you will need to do that. You could probably petition the Captain and Tuvok to vouch for you to get an honorary degree." B'Elanna nodded. 

"That would be helpful. Then, I want at least two children. Boy and a girl or two girls. And no more than four probably. I worship Kahless. I don't know if I'd want them to do the same to be honest." 

"Jewish then? You'd technically have to convert but it's not too big an occasion. Religion is maternal." 

"It's the same for Klingons. I might be convinced to convert." Tom nodded his head and began on his third pudding cup. They were quite tasty. "Do you care what gender your children are?" 

"No, so long as I get to have at least one son." He winced. "But I wouldn't force him to enter Starfleet if he didn't want to. I always hated my father for that." 

"Maybe you should thank him. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have met." B'Elanna took her last pudding cup from the table. Tom considered that and nodded. 

"Guess you're right." 

"I usually am." 

"Such modesty." 

"Would you ever want to have kids onboard _Voyager_?" Tom asked suddenly. B'Elanna looked up at him from her pudding. 

"Well, we will be here for our whole lives so I guess if I ever wanted kids, I'd have to wouldn't I? I'm just worried the right person didn't come along. You know?" 

"No, I don't. I happen to know that the right person definitely came with." 

"It's Harry isn't it!" Tom sputtered. 

"No," he was laughing now, "it's you, Be'." B'Elanna expected as such but the statement still made her blush and look down at her almost empty pudding cup. 

"You'd want to have kids with me? Isn't one Klingon enough?" Her shame over her father's leaving washed over her then. Two Klingon had been too much for him. 

"Absolutely not. I want many, many more Klingons." Tom leaned forward, grabbed B'Elanna by her chin to bring her face up, and placed a kiss on a Klingon peak of her forehead. 

"Careful what you wish for," she replied without thinking. It took her a moment to realize what she had just proposed. _Me having his kids?_ She looked back at her pudding and continued eating in silence. Tom allowed her that since he was busy fantasizing about many, many Klingon children running around at his feet, playing tag, or hide and seek, or simply chasing each other. The thought made him smile and he hoped it would come true. 

When they finished with their pudding and set everything on the coffee table, Tom leaned against the back of the couch and put his arms on the backrest. He looked over at B'Elanna. "Want to cuddle?" B'Elanna didn't answer but instead adjusted herself and Toby so that she could lean against Tom and the couch. She curled her feet under her away from Tom. They both thought about the future and the same question: _would there be marriage and children involved between us?_


	3. Sincerely, Yours

B'Elanna woke early, warm, and somewhat sore. She and Tom had fallen asleep on her couch. Him laying on the couch itself and her laying on top of him. She stirred, which woke up Tom. 

"Good morning, Be'. How did you sleep?" 

"Good," she purred. "I'm a little sore though." 

"Here, hop up. I'll give you a massage." B'Elanna rolled off of Tom to the floor. Tom sat up and B'Elanna went to sit on the floor between his legs. She leaned against the base of the couch and settled into it. Tom reached down to work on her shoulders with his thumbs and fingers. 

"Mmm. That's nice." Tom pressed harder before moving down her back with his knuckles. Again, he couldn't help himself and leaned down to kiss her spine as he massaged her. B'Elanna turned around then to face Tom. She tilted her head up in an invitation. He accepted and kissed her deeply. It was a bit difficult for them, with Tom leaning so far down and B'Elanna straining her neck to reach him. She broke the kiss to scramble to her feet. Tom stood up once she realized what she was doing. They began to kiss again, fervently. Tom pulled her close to him, reveling in her body against his. 

"Mmm B'Elanna." Tom moved to kiss down her neck. He moved to unzip her jumpsuit. B'Elanna grabbed his hand. 

"What do you think you are doing?" She hissed. 

"I won't go past your waist, Be'." He pressed his forehead against hers as he whispered. B'Elanna seemed to be contemplating it for a moment. 

"Alright, but no further." She let go of his hand. He continued to unzip her jumpsuit. He stopped at her navel and pressed his hand under her jumpsuit at her waist. Her skin was irresistibly soft beneath his. He pulled the shoulder of her jumpsuit off her shoulder and pressed his lips to the exposed skin. Her scent made him desire her more than he ever had. He wasn't so sure he would be able to resist going past her waist, but he would have to. He kissed her again, hugging her close. He picked her up then, much to her surprise. She laughed as he carried her to her bed. When he plopped her down onto the bed she was nervous he had intentions to go further. Tom knelt over her, pinning her arms at her sides. He kissed down her neck, chest, and stomach. 

"Tom," B'Elanna warned as she squirmed beneath him. He began kissing back up her stomach, chest, and neck immediately before releasing her hands to kiss her lips again. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling safe and pleased that he could control himself. Tom pushed her legs aside and moved to kneel between them. When he went back to kissing her, he ground his pelvis against hers. Soon, B'Elanna could feel the bulge of his hardened cock against her groin. It made her uncomfortably warm all over. _He's really trying to undo me this morning._ Before B'Elanna could make a decision about whether she would relent, her alarm went off. 

"Good morning, B'Elanna. The time is now 0730. Your shift starts in 30 minutes." B'Elanna groaned. Tom pulled away from her after a moment. 

"Guess I should be going too then." 

"Yeah probably. I need to get ready for my duty shift. You probably do too?" Tom stood. B'Elanna laughed. The jumpsuit didn't hide anything from view: Tom's hard on was clearly visible under the clingy fabric. 

"Do you mind if I use your restroom?" He asked as he gestured toward it. B'Elanna was certain she knew what he intended to use it for. 

"Sure." Tom turned to go to the restroom. B'Elanna sat up quickly and grabbed his wrist before he got too far. "But, if you don't mind, I'd like to help." She locked her eyes with his, awaiting his reply. 

"I don't know. Aren't we just _pretending_ to date? I don't imagine you really need to practice this." 

"No. I assure you I am well-practiced," she purred as she pulled him closer. She had both of her hands on his narrow hips now. "And who's pretending? I'm not. Not at the moment anyway." 

"Be', I don't want for you to help me and then refuse to look at me for the rest of the trip." 

"You do know that you've been calling me Be' right?" 

"Seeing as how I nearly lost a head for it, yes." 

"Didn't your book tell you? I more or less belong to you so long as you continue to." Tom liked the sound of that. And yes, the book did say as such. But he didn't expect the effect to be the same since he'd won the right to. B'Elanna's help sounded a thousand times better than a lonely session in her bathroom where she could hear him. 

"Alright, so long as you still respect me afterwards." B'Elanna laughed as she switched places with him. He sat on the bed and she stood over him. 

"What makes you think I ever did?" _She has a point,_ Tom realized as she began unzipping his jumpsuit. She kissed down his torso as she revealed hair dusted flesh. Tom began to relax, growing more excited for what was to come as she made progress down his body. She paused, "computer, set an alarm for 0745." 

"Acknowledged." B'Elanna resumed her kisses until she reached his boxers. She continued unzipping him down the left leg so that she had enough room to push the clingy material of the jumpsuit aside. She pulled at his waistband until it rested below his penis and ball sac. She looked up at him then. From the angle, Tom thought she looked positively submissive, but he would never tell her. Especially with her so close to some very delicate body parts that he wished not to lose. 

B'Elanna turned her attention back to his cock. It was already leaking a bit of precum. She started with her hands moving up and down on his cock firmly. Tom threw his head back in a throaty moan. When she placed her mouth over the tip and teased him with the tip of her tongue, he tried bucking into her mouth, but the odd angle combined with one of her hands on his pelvic bone and the other on his boner prevented him from moving much. She increased her speed on him, taking him as deep into her mouth as she could. She could go about three-quarters of the way which pleased Tom when he bothered to look down at her. She slowed to graze her teeth gently over the top of his shaft, careful to avoid hitting the more sensitive tip. He groaned at the pleasantly painful sensation. Then she covered her teeth with her lips again and continued a steady back and forth motion over him. Her right hand followed him, twisting as it went back and forth ahead of her mouth. Tom was close now, B'Elanna judged from the increase in his attempts to buck wildly into her face. When she felt that he was as close as she could get him, she backed off by slowing down considerably. 

"B'Elanna?" B'Elanna didn't answer him, but instead pulled her mouth away from him to bring his mouth close to her to kiss. After a moment, she returned to his throbbing and dripping erection. She picked up speed as quickly as the first time, but Tom got closer faster this time. She had to back off sooner, much to Tom's frustration. _Quit that!_ Although, B'Elanna couldn't have known his thoughts, she wasn't planning on quitting any time soon. She was going to bring him as close to coming as many times as she wanted, until he was begging her to finish him. She did so four more times for a total of six before the computer gave her the fifteen minute warning she had programmed. Tom was squirming and panting now. The effort of getting so close so many times wore him out. He was glad for the computer's warning as it meant that the sixth time would probably be the last in which B'Elanna denied him the release he desired. 

"Please, Be'." B'Elanna resumed her attentions and easily brought Tom to orgasm. She released her hold on his stomach and shaft so that he could rock against her when he came. She hummed in delight, which only caused Tom's orgasm to ripple more thoroughly through his body. He moaned loudly as the best orgasm he'd ever experienced took hold. When it was over, he lay back on her bed to catch his breath. B'Elanna knelt to kiss him sweetly. He could taste himself on her lips and he swelled with pride. 

"Damn." 

"I told you didn't I?" 

"Just didn't expect that at all. I'd say you're my equal between the sheets," He replied breathlessly. B'Elanna blushed as she made her way to her bathroom for a quick sonic shower. She was sure she still smelled like sweat and, now, like sex. She couldn't very well show up to the bridge for her console duty like that. _Especially,_ if she and Tom arrived together. When she returned to dress, Tom was already gone. 

B'Elanna stepped out into the hall a moment later. When she did, she noticed something on the ground at her feet. She bent to pick it up and smell it. It was an orange tiger lily, which she had told Tom that she liked. She smiled. _He's such a romantic._ She slipped into her quarters to find a vase to place it in. After filling the vase with water and setting it on her nightstand, she left for her duty shift on the bridge. She usually didn't look forward to these shifts. They were down right boring compared to her work in engineering. But today she could entertain herself with thoughts of Tom. 

When B'Elanna took her position at the engineering console, she noticed that Tom was already in his place at the conn. His hair being slightly mussed was the only sign that B'Elanna could see to indicate his rushed morning. 

The Alpha shift went by without a hitch. No unusual sensor readings, no engineering glitches to fix, no interesting planetary bodies, and no alien lifeforms within a hundred lightyears of their position during the entire shift. B'Elanna watched as Chakotay and the Captain exchanged friendly banter during most of the day. She heard that they mostly talked about work: reports or duty rosters. A few times she caught Chakotay make a joke that the Captain could laugh at. Near the end of their shift, the Captain leaned in closer to Chakotay, obviously intending that only he could hear her. She must have forgotten, not cared, or not noticed that B'Elanna was at the engineering station and so could hear her pretty well even when she whispered softly. 

"Have time to meet me tonight? I think we should review a few things for the next away mission." From the way that the Captain's voice played with her words even as she whispered and the proximity of her lips to Chakotay's awaiting ears, B'Elanna doubted that they had anything to review for the next away mission. _Ooo Captain has the hots for Chakotay._ From the corner of her eye, she caught the telepathic Tuvok raise an eyebrow at her. _That meddling Vulcan. Stop listening to people's thoughts, Tuvok._ Tuvok snapped his attention back to his security console as she glared at him. B'Elanna was a bit disappointed that Chakotay had not told her about the nature of his relationship with Captain Janeway. Come to think of it, they had behaved differently around each other ever since returning from New Earth, disease free. It started slow at first: a few lingering glances or soft touches. It would have been hard to see the difference if B'Elanna didn't know Chakotay so well. Then she noticed that they rarely spent time apart even in their off hours. When she went to Sangrine's, the two of them would be locked in conversation and laughter at the bar. When she went to Neelix's resort, they would be lounging on two chairs with fruity drinks in hand. She thought their shared situation must have brought them together down there. It would seem that they tried to keep it under wraps to give the impression of a professional command team. She would have to wheedle the information out of Chakotay soon. B'Elanna was sure Tom held a betting line on the two of them and she didn't think anyone onboard _Voyager_ would have a problem with them dating. She was a bit surprised that the Captain would be so bold as to ignore protocol on this matter. She hoped for Chakotay's sake that the Captain wouldn't change her mind later. 

**=/\=**

At the end of her shift, B'Elanna found herself being watched by Tom. 

"Do you need something, Tom?" He leaned on her console to her left. B'Elanna paid him no mind. 

"Just waiting for you to finish. Do you want to have dinner sometime soon?" She didn't have anything to do tonight. 

"Sure. Tonight? Your quarters this time." 

"Of course. I'll see you in a bit. Wear something _other_ than your uniform, Be'." B'Elanna looked up to see if anyone had heard him call her that. Harry was beginning his shift at Ops. Tuvok was focused on explaining something about security to the Captain. Only Chakotay seemed unoccupied, and of course he happened to be looking in their direction. As their eyes locked, Chakotay raised an eyebrow. _Maybe he didn't hear._ That wish was shattered when Chakotay mouthed "Be'" at her. _Damn._ B'Elanna glared. Tom, having missed most of the silent conversation, noticed when B'Elanna began glaring at someone over his right shoulder. He turned to look and saw Chakotay wiggling his eyebrows at her. Tom smirked. While Chakotay was still watching them, he leaned forward and pecked B'Elanna on the lips mischievously. He was too quick for B'Elanna to have time to push him away. 

"Careful, Hotshot," she growled lowly. She saw Chakotay turn away, stifling a laugh. He was glad that he'd put his name in the pot for the two of them getting together. He'd have to tell Harry what he saw soon. He was looking forward to the look on the young ensign's face. He had bet against them getting together, siting their aggression toward each other. _Poor Harry, must have missed out a lot on middle school romances being a child prodigy and all._

"Aren't I always, Be'?" 

"Not lately." Tom backed away from the console and headed for the turbolift backwards. 

"Oh well, no one's perfect. I'll see you for dinner." He said this loud enough to catch Harry's attention. He shot a look at his friend, the blush rising on B'Elanna's cheeks, and then Chakotay in quick succession. Chakotay nodded subtly when he realized Harry was looking at him. Harry looked down at his console, shaking his head. 

Tom entered his quarters and made to getting the dining room ready for his _third_ date with B'Elanna. He wondered idly about what she would be wearing as he tidied up and lit a pair of candles on his table. He went to the replicator to replicate a bundle of orange tiger lilies. He placed these in a blue vase on the center of the table between the two candles. He regarded the table for a moment. It looked very romantic. Tom returned to the replicator to make themselves a meal. He had plenty of credits since he'd been saving them since their first date. He decided to replicate a pair of Ceasar salads for an appetizer. He took these to the table and returned to the replicator. _Let's see...._ He decided on something Italian and began perusing that menu. He wanted something stuffed. He would go with something simple: stuffed shells. He replicated them with cheese sauce just as his door buzzed. 

"Come in~." B'Elanna opened the door. When Tom saw her in her velvet purple dress he realized he was still in his uniform. She was stunning. 

"You're still in your uniform." B'Elanna suddenly looked uncomfortable. She wrung her hands in front of her and looked down. 

"Sorry, sorry. I was just getting everything else ready." Tom set the plates of shells on the table in front of the two chairs. "I'll change real quick." He moved to B'Elanna's chair and pulled it out for her. "Please sit. I'll be quick, promise." B'Elanna stepped over to the chair. Before she sat down, Tom took her hands into his. "You are stunning." 

"No, it's just something I had." She looked away and down. "I didn't even do anything with my hair." She tilted her head to her right shoulder in embarrassment. She had bothered to put on some makeup—lipstick and some blush. _Not that I need it,_ she thought as her cheeks reddened at his gaze. "You really think so?" 

"I do, Be'." B'Elanna smiled, her gaze still at the floor. Tom lifted her chin. "Especially when you smile." 

"You don't mean that. You're just saying it to bed me!" Tom laughed. 

"That may be true, but it's not the only reason." He bent to press his lips to hers and hold her in his arms. "Sit down, have a drink. I'll be back in a moment." Tom pushed the chair in for her once she sat. He pressed his lips to her cheek before slipping into the bathroom with a dress shirt and pants from his dresser. He changed quickly, then did a once over in the mirror. His hair was mussed. _Had it been this way all day?_ He blushed, realizing that it must have. He grabbed a comb and smoothed it down, grumbling to himself. Satisfied he stepped out of the bathroom, pulling slightly at his shirt. B'Elanna looked at him. _He cleans up well._ She thought he looked rather stunning in the baby blue button down shirt that matched his eyes and black pants. 

"Hmm. Come here and kiss me." Tom moved to meet her in her chair. She tilted her head up. Tom stood behind her and smoothed her hair away from her face. He kissed her upside down like that. He pulled away. The two of them still smiled, eyes closed. 

"Bed or no, you are stunning." B'Elanna giggled, still facing him, eyes closed still. 

"Careful what you wish for." With her eyes closed, she couldn't see Tom's expression of surprise. 

"Does that mean I'm getting lucky tonight?" He asked once he recovered. B'Elanna tilted her head back to normal, surprised at herself. _Why do I keep saying that?_

"No, no. I just. I just got carried away." She didn't see Tom's disappointment. He covered it quickly before sitting down across from her. 

"That's alright, Be'. I wasn't expecting you to." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" B'Elanna crossed her arms in front of her. 

"Well, just that you are usually so shy about sex." As he said so, B'Elanna blushed. "Especially for a Klingon." 

"I guess I am sometimes." She picked up a fork and began to eat the shells. "Mmm. This is good. What is it?" 

"Glad you like it." Tom took a shell onto his fork as well. "They are cheesy stuffed shells. Italian." They ate silently for a moment. Then they talked while they ate. 

"Do you think we'll ever get back to the Alpha Quadrant?" B'Elanna asked. It's funny, when she could visit family there anytime she didn't want to, now that she couldn't she longed to see her mother. At the rate they were going though, she'd probably never see her again. Probably no one on their ship would see their parents ever again. 

"Not until we're all very old. You'll probably have to have kids onboard." A thought struck him. "Who do you think the Captain will have kids with?" B'Elanna laughed. 

"Chakotay," she paused, "if she isn't with child already that is." 

"You think she could be?" 

"No, I doubt it. The Doctor always gives me a hard time about missing my birth control booster." That reminded her, she was overdue for another one. "I'm sure he's just as annoying with the Captain, too." 

"Are you in on the bet between them getting together?" 

"No." 

"Wanna be?" B'Elanna laughed. 

"Sure, if you think that's fair. I'm pretty sure I overheard the Captain inviting Chakotay to her quarters for some intimate time together." 

"When?" 

"During my shift." 

"Hmm. I think it's still alright. It's not like you saw them going at it." B'Elanna laughed. 

"No, I guess not!" She contemplated something for a moment. "You know, I bet there's a pool for the two of us." 

"There is; Harry told me about it. I wrote myself in, too." 

"What did you bet on?" 

"That we would get together." 

"Oh, so all this is just to win a bet?" B'Elanna asked sarcastically. 

"No, not entirely. Don't worry, I'll share my winnings with you." 

"I'm counting on it." They ate the rest of their meal while exchanging comments about various possible couples onboard _Voyager_, what they liked and disliked about their trip thus far, and how their day went. After they sat digesting for a moment, Tom went to the replicator. 

"Ice cream or cake?" 

"Cake, chocolate." Tom stored that reply in his memory for later. He recalled that she had also replicated them chocolate pudding in her room the other day. He bid the replicator to make them two large slices of chocolate cake. Tom set the first in front of B'Elanna and they continued to eat as they talked and laughed. 

"So..." B'Elanna pushed her last two bites of cake around on her plate. It wasn't because she was full. She was nervous. Her book told her that the third date often ended in sex. And Tom did prove himself in the bI'reS already. She wouldn't be opposed to moving forward. She decided to dance around it, "do you have room for more desert?" Tom leaned back in his chair. 

"I don't think so, I'm pretty full. The pasta and the cake did-" Tom caught B'Elanna's sultry look then. "Oh," he leaned forward, "that kind of desert." Shakily, B'Elanna put her fork down, leaving the two bites of cake on her plate and moved to his side, offering her hand. 

"For the playboy you like everyone to think you are, you can be pretty dense." She was suddenly unsure, but she judged it wasn't anymore wary than the first time she'd had sex. Tom stood up and kissed her. When their lips parted, he spun her around so that her back faced him. He held her arms crossed across her stomach and swayed side to side, taking B'Elanna with him. 

"That's just so I have better chances with the ladies." He leaned forward over her right shoulder and tucked her hair behind her ear there so that he could kiss her ear. B'Elanna leaned back against him, letting her head fall back slightly over his left shoulder. She turned her head for another kiss and they met lips again. Tom twirled her back to face him with a hand over her head. He pulled her close then and continued swaying while he explored every crevice of her mouth. B'Elanna could feel stirrings of Tom's hardening cock against her lower stomach. It made her head a little dizzy. She pulled away to smell him. She drew the hand of his that was in hers to her nose and smelled his wrists, then gently nibbled the thick curve below his thumb to coax blood flow. He smelled sweet and hardy. She thought she detected some cologne but she couldn't place the smell, only that it smelled familiar and comforting as much as it drove her wild for him. She circled around him to smell his neck. Remembering Sakari, Tom stood still until she was done. 

When Tom thought that she had finished and she was beginning to press on him to make him fall, he instead grabbed her wrists and led her to his bed, pushing her down roughly. With anyone else, he wouldn't have been so rough, but he knew that that was the way she liked it. She growled when she hit the bed, her hair fanning out above her head like a halo. Tom growled back as he straddled her. He pinned her wrists above her head with his hands and kissed her fiercely. When he released her hands, she wrestled him to his back towards his pillows, just as he hoped she would. His hands were still free so he used his right hand to grab the silk scarf he had hidden there when he found out about her kink. He wrapped it around her wrists delicately. She had plenty of time to escape his grasp but she didn't, instead excited to be tied up for him. He tied her wrists together, then wrestled her under him, maneuvering her as he did to lie properly on the bed, and tied her to the middle of the headboard. He pulled another silk scarf from the pillows and moved down her body. She twisted against the good knot at her wrists, curious what he would tie down next. The scarf wrapped around her left leg. She felt her legs open as he tied it to the farthest part of the footboard as he could. He reached for another scarf and did the same with her other leg. 

Tom stood next to the bed then to divest himself of his button down shirt and undershirt. He pulled off his pants and socks next. He regretted having not gotten B'Elanna's clothes off of her before tying her up, but figured the dress could be slipped out of their way easily enough. He climbed back over her, admiring his handiwork as she squirmed under him. 

"Well? Aren't you going to do anything?" She spat aggressively. 

"Don't worry, I will. I have to pay you back for this morning yet." B'Elanna's redundant stomachs did flips as she recalled how many times she brought him to the edge, only to deny him. _Was it six? Seven times?_ She couldn't remember how many exactly. Less than ten, but more than five. She could already feel herself getting wet at the thought and redoubled her efforts to squirm away. Of course, Tom had tied her too well and she couldn't escape. Tom grabbed the hem of her dress and hiked it up to her stomach. Her underwear was black, lacy, and mostly see-through. He could see the hint of trimmed hair that lay beneath. He pressed his hand against her, massaging her through her panties. She moaned and did her best to buck against his hand but tied as she was, she couldn't move enough to satisfy herself. He regretted that he would probably have to tear her panties off since her legs were tied. After a moment, Tom did just that, grabbing it at the side seam with both hands and pulling it apart. He tossed the ruined underwear away from the bed and towards the reclaimer. He put his hand back on her, savoring her noises and feeble bucking. When Tom's mouth joined his hand, B'Elanna moaned loudly. No one had ever put their mouth on her there. The warm sensation of his tongue circling her clitoris and moving her labia aside was like no other. 

"Oh, Tom, that feels so good." After several minutes of his attentions, she could feel herself getting close. Tom noticed her moans were more frequent and loud, her bucking more insistent. When she got as close as he could reasonably get her, he stopped all together. B'Elanna rocked, trying to rub herself on something, anything, but Tom stayed well out of her way. In fact, he didn't touch her there again for several minutes as he was too busy sliding her dress up higher to play with her breasts. He reached behind her to unclasp her bra. It was strapless so once the clasp undid, he tossed it aside. He pulled a semi-erect nipple into his mouth and began to suckle on it like a teat. B'Elanna moaned, feeling overwhelmed yet not getting enough of what she wanted still. Her lower body still burned with a throbbing desire to be touched again. She couldn't believe he could be so cruel. She hadn't completely stopped touching him when she helped him with his little problem. Just as she had that thought, Tom's fingers began to trace lazy circles that went down her body. They mingled with her pubic hair before climbing back up. 

"Tom!" She pleaded, whimpering now. She regretted somewhat that she had held his orgasm hostage for so long. She had a feeling that he would make this last twice as long. And without a wakeup call to interrupt them, he could keep this up all night if he wanted. His fingers reached their peak at her breasts. Tom no longer had a nipple in his mouth, instead he was watching her expressions of pleasure and desperation as he kneaded her breasts gently. His fingers moved back down her body, _finally_ touching her where she most wanted. She was so slick with juices that she thought she would soak the bed. Tom's mouth moved back down to explore her most private parts. He brought her close again. Since he had waited so long, it took him just as long to get her to that point. He moved away when he thought she was close, refusing to touch her for even longer than before. This was the way it went for several more times. Each break was longer than the last. B'Elanna was exhausted but not yet spent. Her entire body pulsed with the pumping of her blood through her veins. Her legs were slippery and her body was covered in Tom's saliva, bleeding love bites, and dark hickeys. 

B'Elanna had lost track of how many times he'd brought her close after the seventh time, which she thought was at least half an hour ago. Tom however, knew that he'd denied her twenty times now. _Probably a record,_ he thought as he mercilessly brought her close and backed down for the twenty-first time. B'Elanna moaned loudly, arching her body to try following his retreating fingers to no avail. Tears streamed from her eyes and her throat felt raw. 

"Tom, I swear if you do that one more time, I will have your head!" Her voice was raspy from their extended game. Tom watched her chest heaving as he kept all of his body out of reach of hers. It pleased him greatly that she was absolutely covered with various symbols of his love and begging for release. He figured enough was enough and after teasing her for what felt like an eternity to B'Elanna, Tom bared down on her clitoris and the entrance of her vagina with renewed vigor. He slowly worked her back up to an orgasm that threatened to dislocate her shoulders when she tried to arch her back. Her eyesight went fuzzy as a billion hormones flooded her system. She actually screamed. She'd never screamed for an orgasm before. Granted, she'd never had an orgasm feel this _good_ before. When she came down several moments later, her body buzzed with energy. She panted as Tom shifted to untie her hands and lay beside her, holding her close. B'Elanna hugged him, relishing the feel of his skin against hers. The dress provided an unwelcome end of contact and she pushed him away to pull the dress off of herself. Then, finally naked, she pressed as much skin against his as she could. 

"Wow, Tom that was...." She couldn't find the words. It was better than amazing. It was life-changing. 

"Heavenly?" He offered. "Divine? World-shattering?" B'Elanna laughed. 

"It was all of those. Thank you." 

"Are you ready for round two?" Tom nudged her hip with his hardened penis. 

"Give me a moment. I-I need to catch my breath." They lay there in each other's arms for several moments. Soon, B'Elanna's breathing returned to normal. She was actually starting to feel cold. The recycled air in the room brushed over much of her body, especially between her legs, in an effort to freeze her. "Alright, I'm ready. Take me, Tom," she said sarcastically as she pulled away from Tom with a flair of drama and landed heavily on the bed with her arms outstretched. 

"Happily," he growled at her as he slipped his boxers off of himself. He aligned himself to enter her and slid into her slowly. She moaned softly the whole way. He paused when he was fully encased by her, reveling in their joining. _How many times have I imagined this, hoping for it to come true?_

"You feel so good, Tom," B'Elanna purred as Tom began to move in and out of her slow and steady. He soon picked up his speed and pressed his chest to her body so that he could take her overlooked mouth into a deep kiss. He turned to kiss down her neck and nip her clavicle before returning to her mouth briefly. When he picked up speed again, he couldn't coordinate his mouth with his hips so he pulled his head back enough to look at her deep brown eyes. B'Elanna watched Tom's face as he began to pound into her faster. Sweat beaded on his forehead and temples which threatened to drip onto her. He hit her g-spot on every thrust and she moaned and gasped and whimpered to let him know. B'Elanna tried to move her body to meet his, but found that the tethers on her feet made that impossible to do. She didn't mind, the tethers pulling at her ankles every time he thrust into her provided her with the much desired dose of pain that she needed with her sex. 

Tom's pace grew more desperate and B'Elanna knew he was close to the edge. He moaned a throaty moan when he released his seed into her, slowing as he did. He pulled himself out gingerly, as if not wanting to spill a drop and focused his attention to her bruised ankles. He untied her left and then her right, but kept the scarfs tied to the bed. Tom lay on his back and B'Elanna scooted to rest her head on his right shoulder and pec. It was his turn to be breathless and catch his breath as they lay in each others arms naked and smelling like great sex. 


	4. A Shot in the Dark

B'Elanna woke up in her mate's arms. She wasn't sure when she had started thinking of Tom as her mate. Maybe it was since last night? Or maybe it had been since their first date. She recalled it fondly: him teaching her how to do a salchow, him skating on the ice so gracefully, them holding hands as they made a circuit of the rink. She had been so impressed by him. B'Elanna thought she had started thinking him as her mate since their first date at least...maybe even so far back as their time on Sakari. She had bit him, attempting to complete the 'Iw muv with him then. Now, at least, they probably would complete the 'Iw muv. She liked Tom, more than she ever expected herself to. It was terrifying and thrilling all at the same time. 

She shifted in bed to face Tom who was still sleeping. His mouth was open slightly causing a quiet snore and his cheeks were flush from sleep. She brushed a few stray strands of hair from his forehead back onto his head. When the hair was out of the way, she pressed her hand to the side of his head and pressed her lips to his nose gently. She slipped out of the bed then when he didn't stir. She had an Alpha shift soon. B'Elanna looked for her dress. When she found it, she held it on her arm. She looked for a while, but couldn't find her underwear. Then she remembered that Tom had to tear it off of her. She blushed and decided to look for her bra instead. When she found it, she set her dress down on the back of the couch, held the bra to her stomach backwards and upside down where she clasped it. Then she spun it around and flipped it over her boobs before adjusting it to sit properly. She slipped her dress over her head next. Not wanting to make Tom think that she had left this morning because of him, she found a PADD, opened a text editor and typed him a message. It read: 

Had Alpha Shift this morning. Hope to see you again tonight, love.  
xoxo,  
Be' 

She read it over, but decided to change 'love' to 'my mate' as it felt more accurate now that they'd completed the qep. She looked forward to the 'Iw muv with Tom later. B'Elanna placed the PADD on his nightstand where she hoped he would see. Then she slipped on her shoes, a pair of shiny, black flats, and left Tom's quarters for her own so that she could change into her uniform. 

B'Elanna's shift in engineering was uneventful if she could call a malfunctioning warp nacelle uneventful. It wasn't a difficult fix, only a long one. It took a little while to locate the cause for its malfunction. Once that was discovered, replicating a replacement part was easy enough. It was hoisting the broken part out and securing the replacement part without further damage during either step that were difficult and tedious. There were a few scares when Vorik put his hand on a delicate part of the warp nacelle carelessly. B'Elanna chewed him out for that one before they could continue. 

She was glad to be finished with her shift and heading back to her quarters where she could take a real shower and read some more of her favorite book at the moment. When she got to her room, she slipped out of her clothes and placed them into her reclaimer in a practiced motion. She was only in a bra and underwear when she stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. B'Elanna switched the shower from sonic to water and turned it on, adjusting it to the proper temperature before shedding the last of her clothing and stepping under the warm stream. She sighed contently as the warm water massaged away a few tension knots on her upper shoulders and stood still for a moment before beginning to wash herself. She took a little longer than usual for her showers, even if she only considered her water showers, before stepping out into the humid air that engulfed the bathroom. She toweled her hair gently so that it wouldn't drip as she toweled the rest of herself off. B'Elanna stepped out into her room with a long towel wrapped around. She looked for some lounging clothes to put on and decided on a pair of cotton shorts and a T-shirt. She slipped into them quickly, not wanting to be exposed to the air for long, and then crawled into bed where she could continue reading. 

The next chapter, **Marriage Proposals**, started with an image of two gold rings impossibly interlocked together. B'Elanna laughed. She had a feeling that this chapter would be very cheesy and sentimental. 

Marriage is the final binding of two lives in human romantic pursuits. First, some history on European and American marriage practices. Marriage was once seen as the only thing that females were good for. As soon as a girl was able to give birth, sometime in her twelfth or thirteenth year, she was to be married to a man. Often, this man would be much older than the bride. Regardless, the child bride was expected to birth and raise children. In certain human traditions, the bride was given as a gift or payment for services rendered. Eventually, child brides were outlawed in much of the world. The next state of marriage involved marrying daughters to gain or maintain social status for the rest of the family. At this time, daughters were often fated to marry sons from prominent families very early in life. Most of the time the participants never meet their brides and grooms until their wedding day. Sometimes, and this practice soon grew in popularity, the participants were allowed to court each other under the careful eye of family chaperones until the day that they were wed. The current trend of marriage for love and by choice of the participants in much of the world has been in effect for over a century now. The trend doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon either, as the definition of marriage has extended to recognize homosexual relationships, cross species relationships, and homosexual, cross species relationships. 

In heterosexual couplings, it is traditionally the male who proposes to the female. This proposal can be as simple as asking over a quiet meal to as elaborate as writing a message in the stars themselves. Our research finds that there is no connection to proposal elaborateness to acceptance of marriage. Proposal, at least in European and American culture, typically includes the male taking a knee at the female's feet to open a small velvet box that contains the bride-to-be's ring. The question of marriage typically includes the bride-to-be's name followed by "will you marry me" or "will you be my wife." If there are people present and the bride-to-be accepts then they will normally clap or cheer the happy couple as the two embrace in a kiss. 

The marriage ceremony differs depending on the religion of the couple. Christian tradition is how most marriages are portrayed. In Judaism, except for a few additions, the ceremony is similar. B'Elanna's eyes had glazed over until this point. Knowing that Tom was Jewish made her pay attention. She wondered if he would prefer a Jewish marriage to a Christian one. She hoped that he wouldn't be opposed to the Klingon Oath. The bride and groom are married beneath the Chuppah or wedding canopy. After being led to the room by her mother and father or appropriate surrogates, the bride will traditionally circle her groom and the Chuppah three or seven times depending on tradition. B'Elanna thought that the circling resembled what she did for the qep, although it was much more subdued. There are then, seven blessings to be recited by seven guests before the groom and bride drink from the same glass of wine. After the bride has her ring or after the ceremony entirely, either the groom or the groom and bride together shatter a glass object. The final step to a Jewish marriage in some practices is to leave the groom and bride alone together for ten to twenty minutes in what is known as the Yichud. It is after this solitude that the marriage is complete. 

B'Elanna rested the PADD on her stomach, deep in thought. Would they get to that point? _Married?_ She figured it wouldn't be too big a step from the 'Iw muv...at least for her. But for Tom, the 'Iw muv might just be some odd kind of sex. Her heart sunk at the thought. She sighed and slipped out of bed. _Who am I kidding? Tom wouldn't marry me...._ Maybe her mother was right to avoid humans. They would never think sex to be binding like it was to Klingons. 

**=/\=**

Tom woke up when his alarm notified him of the time. He stretched, expecting to feel B'Elanna's body nearby. When he didn't touch her, he sat up and looked around. B'Elanna wasn't in the room. He could see that her shoes weren't at the door like they were last night. _Did I do something wrong?_ He had to admit, there was some irony to the situation. How many times had he been the one to slip out of a lover's bed early in the morning? Seems fitting that it would happen to him eventually. He scowled as he pulled himself out of bed. He had half a mind to comm her but didn't know what he would say. _Hey, B'Elanna, never pegged you as a fuck and run kind of person._ Besides, he wasn't entirely sure that she wasn't already in Engineering. 

But no, that couldn't be it, she'd done the qep with him. Or at least he was pretty sure she had. Then again, maybe it didn't count since he tied her, or maybe that was just how she liked her sex. _Stupid!_ He slammed his pants on the bed then and balled his fists, eager to break something but knowing that doing so would require going to Sick Bay and make him late. He closed his eyes and eased his emotions back down with some calming breathing. Soon his fists unclenched and he resumed dressing himself. 

Tom's anger prevented him from noticing the PADD which was delicately propped up against a box of tissues on his nightstand. Maybe if he had rolled out of bed from that side, he would have noticed. And if B'Elanna hadn't spent the night, that would have been the case. Then, if B'Elanna hadn't spent the night, there would be no PADD and no anger, no distrust, and no sorrow. Tom went to breakfast then, longing to see B'Elanna even if she didn't want to see him. However, he was not afforded this luxury and went to his shift feeling dejected and lower than low. He thought he put on a good show for anyone watching. And indeed, he did a good job until Harry noticed something wasn't quite right with his best friends smiles or playful jabs. They seemed hollow somehow. Their shifts went by easily still. Though for Tom, it seemed to take longer than usual to end. He was glad when a young ensign that he hadn't bothered to learn the name of relieved him of duty. 

"Tom what's up with you?" Harry slipped sideways into the turbolift with his downcast friend just before the doors shut. Tom crossed his arms. He didn't feel like explaining himself to anyone, especially Harry. He bet no one had ever walked out on him. _Probably because he's never walked out on anyone either...._ That thought, did nothing to cheer Tom up. 

"Nothing." Harry laughed, throwing his head up. 

"You have your arms crossed, you're upset. And something tells me it's about a woman." 

"What makes you think that?" Tom had to admit that he was surprised by Harry's accurate appraisal about women. 

"You get a look when it's a woman. You get another one when it's the command team. You even have one for Neelix's food and for Tuvok being extra Tuvokian." Harry leaned in unnecessarily. "And you have a special one for when it's a certain half Klingon chief engineer." Tom dropped his arms, defeated. 

"Fine," he exacerbated. "It's Be'. She left me." 

"Be'?" 

"I beat her with a bat'leth, so now I get to call her that. It means woman in Klingon and it's like when a dog pisses on a fire hydrant. It means she's mine." 

"Okay, that answers one question. The other I have is she left you? Did you start dating?" 

"Well not at first. At first it was practice for her. She had this little PADD on human mating rituals or something and she wanted a guinea pig. I'm that pig." _Maybe that's why she likes to call me pig...._ The thought entered his mind unbidden. He didn't really want to think about her and was less than pleased to be talking about her. 

"We went on three dates. Last night was the third. And then we did some stuff from my Klingon book—the bat'leths were also Klingon stuff from the bI'reS. We had sex, but I'm _pretty sure_ that it was more than sex. I think it was the qep which is like step two of three or four for marrying a Klingon." 

"Marrying?" It was a lot for Harry to take in and Tom said it all at lightning speed, his hands accentuating his words every so often. "You want to marry her?" He laughed as they exited the turbolift on Tom's deck. "You've only had three dates!" 

"I know. It's crazy. But you know that I've liked her for a while. And since she said she loved me on the Day of Honor...Well, I can't get her out of my mind. But I don't think she feels the same. She left this morning before I woke up and she didn't leave a note or anything." Tom held his head in his hands and leaned against a bulkhead. "I think I messed us up," he cried, muffled by his hands. Harry tugged at his hands. When they didn't come free he sighed and began talking anyway. 

"Tom, I don't think so. B'Elanna doesn't seem like the kind of person who would tolerate one-night stands. Maybe you should go talk to her. Computer, locate B'Elanna Torres." Tom pulled his hands down then, waiting for the computer's reply. 

"B'Elanna Torres is in her shower." Tom blushed. 

"Well, maybe wait a while. Come on. Go to your room and relax a bit." When Tom pulled his back off of the bulkhead, Harry patted his back in a friendly gesture. "The two of you will be fine. You'll see." Tom stepped into his quarters. Harry still stood outside. 

"You're right. I'll rest a bit before I find Be'." The door closed to shield him from Harry's exuberant smile. On the other side of the door, Harry turned on his heel to head to the holodecks. He had rations to collect and distribute. Even though he lost, he'd taken one out of Tom's book and would be taking a modest dealer's fee. Not having Tom see him in the holodecks was one reason he wanted Tom to 'relax' in his quarters before going to see B'Elanna. Tom mulled around his quarters, unsure of what to do. He resisted the urge to check if B'Elanna had left the shower yet. A brief thought of him surprising her in her quarters crossed his mind—he knew her code now, her birthday which he probably could have guessed—but he pushed it out quickly. 

Tom changed out of his uniform for a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. He made himself some tea to calm down and then took a seat on his couch where he could continue reading. He was interested in the next chapter: **Marriage Customs and Beyond**. 

Klingons will marry for life. If their mate dies long before they have exited childbearing years, then Klingons will not take another. However, females may undergo artificial insemination to have more children if they wish to. Klingons marry through the Mating Oath. They will each cut themselves on the finger or wrist so that the other may taste their blood. The couple will take turns reciting an ancient poem that is traditionally said at Klingon weddings. This is much like the vows in human tradition. After the end of the poem, the man will say "qaSaw rIntaH be'nalwI'," I marry you my wife; the woman will say "qanay rIntaH loDalwI'," I marry you my husband. The mating poem in its original Klingon and its translation into Federation Standard are below: 

tlhIngan:  
bomDI' 'IwwIj qaqaw  
tIqwIjDaq ratlhtaH larghIlj.  
'IwIlj je 'IwwIj wImuvmoH;  
ej no'lI' je no'wI' wImuvmoH. 

'Iwmaj ghogh yIQoy.  
DaH wa' 'Iw. reH wItay'taH. 

Federation Standard:  
The memory of you sings in my blood,  
And your scent lingers in my heart.  
Let us join your blood and mine,  
Your ancestors to my ancestors. 

Listen to the voice of our blood,  
Now one blood. We are together always. 

Tom read the poem several times, both the original and translated. He used the PADD's read-aloud capabilities to pronounce words that he didn't recognize and repeated them to himself quietly. He thought that the poem in Klingon had a sweet cadence. The Federation Standard also had a certain sweetness that made it clear why it was still in use today for Klingon marriages. Tom continued reading. 

Once wed, husband and wife will make a house for themselves. In time, they will find themselves waiting for a child, raising it through the Klingon rites, and growing old together. Klingons share childrearing responsibilities. After the seven month gestation period, the couple will often take time from whatever occupation they have in order to care for their young. The first year of parental leave is required by Klingon law. Typically, the mother will take her year off first so that she can easily nurse her child through its first year. After the mother returns to work, the father will typically take a year off to spend with his newborn. The next chapter will contain more information on the Klingon family unit. Tom continued to the chapter in question: **Family Expectations**. 

As previously mentioned, Klingon parents each can take a year off from their occupations to care for newborns and young adopted children. Arrangements can also be made for adoption of older children especially if the child became an orphan due to traumatizing events. Klingon parents typically utilize their extended family such as grandparents, adult siblings, and adult cousins to care for their children while they are too young to do so themselves. Klingon children rarely attend daycare, but may as they get older, choose to attend after school programs that interest them or that their parents see will benefit them in the future. The average Klingon family has between two and three children with the first occurring within the first two years of marriage. Abortions and infertility are very rare for Klingons due to their practice of mating for life after so many sexual encounters. Klingons typically don't have more than three partners before settling down with someone. 

At age six, Klingon children enter school where they learn the ways of the warrior and study topics such as mathematics, Klingon, and, since the Klingon/Federation truce, Federation Standard. Parents typically play a large role in their children's moral and emotional schooling but are less prominent in their traditional schooling aside from teaching their children what it means to be a warrior. At age 14, Klingon children are tested on a number of skills. This test determines whether they can continue their schooling or be held back another year. Smaller Klingon children, those born early or with poor genetics typically benefit from the additional year. Lucky for them, they are normally seen as ill-prepared rather than weak when they fail the first test. Failing the second brings the burden of weakness, but most do not suffer these consequences as being held back often spurs greater family involvement in order to avoid the dishonor of weakness. 

Klingon young are considered fully grown at age seventeen, even though much of their body and mind continues to develop over the next few years. At seventeen, Klingon can choose a number of paths for themselves with the help and guidance of their family and friends. They may join a Klingon vessel, find acceptance within the Academy of Starfleet, pursue research, or find an odd job until they decide on where to go next. At this point, the parents have completed their roles as guardians and begin their relationship with their young as mentors. 

Tom skipped the next chapter and started the final chapter titled **Female Anatomy**. He was greeted by two diagrams of the female reproductive system with labels and red stars. The first showed the system from the front and the second showed a side profile. Looking over the two, he couldn't discern a noticeable difference between what he knew of the female human reproductive system and the female Klingon reproductive system. He looked for the meaning behind the red star. In a key at the upper right of both diagrams the red star had the words "erogenous zone" next to it. He searched for all of the red stars and was surprised to learn that they were all in the same places as a female human would have. There were three for the clitoris, two for the anus, two for the cervix, and a smattering of stars for the inside of the vagina in the G-spot, A-spot, and O-spot. He began reading the chapter, wondering if there would be anything different. 

The female Klingon has a very robust and aggressive reproductive system. Its nature forces mixed species relationships to utilize technological advancements in order to conceive. Depending on the species, this may involve modification of sperm or egg cells, laboratory insemination followed by insertion into the uterus via needle, altering the body's chemical makeup, or usage of hormone therapy. 

While we do not assume the species of the readers of _Klingon Mating Rituals and Anatomy_, we make comparisons to the female human reproductive system as the Klingon and human systems are most similar across species. In many aspects, the two systems are identical. The key differences are the stronger acidic acid present in the female Klingon vagina and fallopian tubes and that much of the softer skin is tougher. Tougher skin forms the clitoral hood which covers the clitoris. Female Klingons attest to liking light nibbling done there during sexual intercourse. Tom raised an eyebrow. _I'll have to try that._ The Klingon vagina is typically 6 to 8 centimeters in length and 2.5 centimeters in diameter. However, like the human vagina, it expands when aroused and during childbirth reaching a size double its resting size. Tom frowned, no wonder she'd left, there was no way he was 2.5 centimeters in diameter. Tom sighed and set the PADD back on the coffee table. He'd finished the chapter anyway and wondered what B'Elanna was doing now. 

"Computer, locate B'Elanna Torres." 

"B'Elanna Torres is in her quarters." Tom's face lit up for a moment until he remembered this morning and it sunk back to normal. He pulled himself off of the couch. He was about to head out the door before something struck him and he went to the replicator to replicate an orange ribbon and white wrapping paper. He went to the table. Laying his paper on the table over the ribbon. He plucked the flowers from the vase on his desk and carefully rolled the stems into the wrapping paper. He tied the paper and stems closed and then headed toward B'Elanna's quarters. 

Tom knocked on the door when he arrived, holding the flowers in front of him. Hopefully their presence would keep B'Elanna from slamming it shut on him. B'Elanna opened the door for him. She smiled when she saw who it was. 

"Well this is a surprise." Her eyes drifted to the flowers and she remembered the dinner, the desert, and _the desert_. Her smile vanished as she realized Tom was just here for another night of sex. "What do you want?" Tom couldn't help but notice how her demeanor changed when she saw the flowers. _Guess they weren't such a good idea after all._

"I wanted to see you. I brought these," Tom lifted the flowers slightly toward B'Elanna to indicate them, "because I thought you didn't want to see me." His voice trailed as he looked away from B'Elanna. She scrunched her eyebrows together, confused. 

"Why wouldn't I want to see you?" 

"Well you left before me. The bedsheets were cool when I woke. Look, I'm sorry if I'm not what you expected. I thought that we hit it off with our dates. I-I hope you'll give me another chance to do better, Be'." 

"Another chance? Tom, what are you talking about?" She moved aside to let him into her room. He was surprised but followed her in and gingerly set the flowers on the table to unwrap them for being put into her vase. "Didn't you get my message?" 

"Your...message? No. What did it say?" 

"It said: Had Alpha Shift this morning. Hope to see you again tonight, my mate." Realization dawned on him. And he laughed—a full belly laugh. 

"Wow. Harry was right. I can't believe I thought you'd walk out like that." Tom placed the unwrapped flowers with the single one in the vase. "And to think, I've been so upset about it all day. I wasn't sure if it was me or you or if I messed up the qep by tying you." He stopped laughing then suddenly worried. "I didn't mess that up did I?" B'Elanna shook her head. 

"No, you can't really mess it up so long as the girl starts it." 

"Good." He pulled her in his arms. His voice was low, quiet. "Do you want to do the 'Iw muv with me. If you do, then I do, Be'." B'Elanna was surprised. She hadn't expected him to say that. 

"It's more than unusual sex you realize?" 

"I do. Knowing you now, I don't know how I ever survived without you. You hold me up, Be'." To accentuate his point, he slumped in her arms playfully a beat later. He was completely confident that she would be able to indeed hold him up. 

"Tom!" She pushed up on him, laughing, and he ended up falling on the couch. He grabbed her arm as he went down and pulled her on top of him, laughing. When their laughing subsided, Tom simply held B'Elanna in his arms. She rested her head on his chest, thoroughly satisfied and in love. 

**=/\=**

The rest of the week went by easily. They hadn't set a date for the 'Iw muv. In fact, B'Elanna had yet to answer him other than to say, "Let's just see where this goes. No rush." Tom didn't mind. He was sure she'd come around eventually. Their shifts had been somewhat difficult to negotiate though. When Tom was getting on Alpha, B'Elanna was just leaving Delta. Then Tom would have a shift in Sick Bay before he had any time to relax. By then, he was so tired he could hardly do much more than feed himself and cuddle or kiss B'Elanna. Tom intended to ask Chakotay about it at the end of every Alpha shift but then shied away from it at the last moment, not entirely wanting Chakotay to realize how serious he and B'Elanna were getting. As far as he knew, she hadn't told him either and he wasn't about to spill the beans to one of her best friends without her approval. Because of Tom's double shifts, B'Elanna usually had time to sleep during Alpha and read during Beta. She readied herself to read the next few chapters of _Human Rituals of Bonding_ by settling into her couch. Upon realizing that she still had to talk to Chakotay she paused. 

"Computer, is Chakotay currently on a duty shift?" 

"Negative." 

"Locate Commander Chakotay." 

"Commander Chakotay is in his quarters." _Good, he wasn't spending time with the Captain already._ B'Elanna got up from the couch and placed her comm badge on her shirt before slipping on her shoes and heading for Chakotay's quarters. She rang the bell as soon as she got there. 

"Come in." The door opened when she thumbed the button for it to do so. "B'Elanna! Haven't seen you in a while? Is Tom treating you all right?" B'Elanna smiled as she stepped into the tidy room. Chakotay was enjoying a cup of tea at his table and reading from a PADD. He set it down as he went to the replicator to get a cup of tea for B'Elanna. As B'Elanna sat down, she picked up the PADD, made a bookmark for Chakotay and then scrolled to the top for the title. It read only: Courtship. 

"_Courtship_? Are you and the Captain going alright?" Chakotay returned with the warm Chamomile tea, B'Elanna's favorite, and took his seat. 

"It's a romance novel she suggested I read." B'Elanna leaned back in her chair as Chakotay blushed faintly. 

"Well, if that doesn't scream 'take me now' I don't know what does." 

"I don't know, I told her I liked romance novels the other day.... She could just be doing it as a friend." 

"Is it smutty?" Chakotay was quiet and B'Elanna smirked. 

"Yes." 

"She wants you to bed her, Chakotay." B'Elanna took a sip of her tea nonchalantly. 

"Maybe I will." B'Elanna raised her eyebrows behind her tea cup. 

"Oh?" 

"She invited me to her quarters tonight...at 2100 hours." B'Elanna leaned in, excited for her friend. 

"That's a bit late for dinner." 

"I know. And normally we do dinner in my quarters. Shit, I'm excited." 

"It shows." An idea struck her. "When did she give you the novel suggestion?" 

"This morning over breakfast." 

"And when did she invite you?" 

"During the second half of my shift after she'd seen me engrossed in the book during lunch." 

"I don't think that's a coincidence. She wants something in that novel to happen. Read one of the smutty chapters." B'Elanna handed him the PADD and he took it, scrolling to the first smutty chapter that he remembered. He began to read, silently. B'Elanna waited a moment, thinking maybe he was just getting a feel for the scene. When he didn't say anything for while, she spoke up, feeling like an primary school teacher. 

"Aloud, Chakotay." He looked at her sheepishly. 

"It's pretty smutty. Some BDSM stuff too." _Wow._

"That's fine." _Just what are the Captain's secret fantasies?_ Chakotay began to read aloud. 

"Ethan began by slowly pulling Charlotte's shirt over her head. This was soon followed by her pants, underwear and bra. After kissing for several moments, Charlotte did the same to Ethan. First shirt, then pants, and finally boxers. They twined together, each growing more heated as their tongues wrestled each other and their hands sought out every inch of flesh. Ethan pulled away to whisper seductively into Charlotte's ear. His warm breath tickled her neck and ear pleasantly. 

"'Do you want to try the rope tonight?'" 

"'Yes, and the whiptail.'" 

_Wow. Not what I was expecting._

"'Mmm. I'm happy to do that mi'lady.'" 

"They embraced in a kiss again as Ethan danced them to the base of his bed. He pushed Charlotte down to it a bit aggressively, but she didn't mind. This was what she liked. 

B'Elanna blushed as she felt her stomachs turn happy pirouettes. Ethan and Charlotte reminded her a bit of Tom and herself. Unaware of her arousal, Chakotay continued. 

"Ethan pulled Charlotte's right arm high above her head where he could tie it to the canopy section above them. He did the same to each of her limbs in turn until she floated about a foot above the bed. There was enough room for Ethan to slap her fleshy bottom if he so chose. Charlotte swayed slightly in her suspension. She was already so excited for Ethan. She loved being powerless to him. It was good to forget about work for a while and just be a _woman_. 

_If that doesn't sound like the Captain...._

"Ethan got up and fished out a long black whip from his closet. He played with it, by flicking it outwardly and wrapping it gently around his body where she could watch him. It made a satisfying crack when he flicked it as the tip broke the sound barrier. Ethan first ran the braided leather tip over Charlotte's stomach. She shivered and whimpered at the touch. 

"'Oh, you sure know how to use that.'" 

"'Of course, I do, my love. It's just like our courtship. You start out slow to build interest and work your way up to the main event.'" 

"The entire time Ethan spoke, he teased her with the tip of the whip. Upon saying 'event' Ethan flicked his wrist so that the whip would crack lightly over his lover's stomach. Charlotte gasped and her stomach rose in the air feebly. Ethan grinned and flicked his wrist a little harder before trailing it down the length of her body so that it slithered between the moist cleft of her vagina. Charlotte yelped and then moaned as her brain confused the sharp pain with intense pleasure. 

"I've got one question for you Chakotay." He looked up and set the PADD down. "Do you have the replicator rations for a whip and ropes?" He looked down, embarrassed. "Chakotay?" 

"The Captain—" he corrected himself when he remembered Charlotte's comment about being a woman. "Kathryn said that she had everything we would need tonight. 'Just bring yourself' she said and then I _swear_ she undressed me with her eyes right there on the bridge." B'Elanna guffawed, almost spilling her tea. 

"She is full of surprises, wow!" 

"Enough about me and the Captain. How are you and Tom doing? Do I need to space him yet?" B'Elanna laughed. 

"No nothing like that!" She paused, thinking to herself if she was being serious or not. "Actually," her voice was soft all of a sudden, "I was thinking of asking him to do the 'Iw muv with me soon." It was Chakotay's turn to raise his eyebrows. 

"Really? Do you think you're ready for that?" 

"Do you think you're ready for the Captain and you to happen?" 

"Point taken." He raised his hands up in mock defense. "We're taking it slow right now. Does he know the 'Iw muv is for life?" 

"He does." She shrugged. "He and I have been reading our own versions of _Courtship,_ though ours are both more of a technical nature." Chakotay smiled widely. 

"Good for you, B'Elanna!" B'Elanna beamed, happy to share her joy with Chakotay and for him to share his with her. She finished her tea. 

"I think I should be letting you do a little more _research_ then. I expect details later, Chakotay." B'Elanna returned to her quarters to finish reading _Human Rituals of Bonding_. She settled back in the same spot of her couch and picked up her PADD. 

The chapter titled **Married Life** was short in comparison to the others. She skimmed ahead to find that the chapter titled **Divorce** was twice as long. B'Elanna frowned as she went back to the beginning of **Married Life**. She didn't want to read **Divorce**. She already had some first hand experience with the topic and didn't think that the book would be able to tell her anything that she didn't already know or want to know. She began reading. 

Human married life is filled with many exciting events: the opportunities to grow closer, the birthing and raising of children, the chance to get to know their partner's family better, the ability to access certain married life privileges such as tax benefits and hospital visiting rights, and the privilege of growing old together. _They'd certainly grow old together on this ship._

In human marriage, couples typically have their first child within their first five years. Some marriages require help in getting pregnant however, and this could require additional help and time. The additional help comment reminded her of her mother. She grimaced. Anytime B'Elanna got on her mother's nerves, she would remind her how much work it took to have her since humans and Klingons aren't entirely compatible. She rolled her eyes and continued reading. 

Typically the female in the relationship does more of the early childrearing. This is largely due to tradition and the fact that only women can lactate for their children's nourishment. Under Federation law, mothers can stay home for 30 weeks without loosing their job after the birth of each child. Fathers get 20 weeks. B'Elanna was a bit surprised. Klingon law requires that both parents get equal time: 1 year each. She couldn't imagine not seeing her child's first year. B'Elanna had an urge to carry a child in her arms then, to cuddle up with it and sing it a poem. Too bad Naomi wasn't a baby any more due to her fast growing Ktarian genes. She was glad that any children she had would grow on a Klingon-Human time scale so that she'd have plenty of time with them. B'Elanna skipped ahead to the chapter on male anatomy and began reading. 

The first section of the chapter had a large image of the human male reproductive system with various parts labeled by name, a small green star, or a little red circle. She studied the picture to take in the information. B'Elanna was surprised that the human male reproductive organs were similar to the Klingon male's, minus the extra pair of smaller testicle-like organs that resided just behind the pelvic bone and produced testosterone only. 

She looked at the key on the bottom right to find out what the circles and stars meant. Next to the star symbols it said: erogenous zone. Next to the circle symbol it said: sometimes painful. The tip of the penis, labeled as glans penis had two stars next to its name. The shaft of the penis had one as well. The scrotum had two stars and the piece of skin labeled perineum had three. Anus had a circle and the prostate had two stars. She continued reading the text. 

Male sexual organs are no mystery. Most are not hidden from view to the questing eye even in broad daylight. B'Elanna smirked at that. She'd caught an eye full of Tom on a few occasions during meals. The main sexual organ is of course the penis. During sexual intercourse the penis will become erect to aid in insertion and distribution of semen. As humans are one of few mammals to be missing a penile bon, the penis is kept erect by special erectile tissues and blood flow. The male scrotum is also a sensitive area during sexual intercourse. The scrotum contains the testicles which produce sperm and testosterone. As sperm are sensitive to high temperatures, evolution has favored a scrotum that exists outside of the main body. This is true of most mammals. The final parts of the male sexual organs are the prostate and the seminal vesicles. The prostate can be stimulated through anal sex and is responsible for creating the fluid that accompanies sperm. Together with the seminal vesicles, which also produces components, these three organs create semen. Men typically ejaculate only about a half teaspoon's worth of semen when they orgasm. Even in this small amount, there are around 200 million sperm competing for the honor of fathering a child. There are two additional erogenous zones near the male reproductive system. They include the perineum and sometimes the anus itself. Not all men are happy to have their anus stimulated and one should ask before attempting to. B'Elanna continued to the next and final chapter which covered female anatomy. 

As with the chapter on male anatomy, the female anatomy chapter began with a detailed diagram marking names, erogenous and painful zones. She looked it over carefully, mentally comparing it to what she knew of herself. They were similar except that the clitoris looked smaller in humans than it did on her. The large outer flaps were labeled as labia majora and sported one star. The secondary labia minor flaps also sported one star. The clitoris had three stars. The cervix and the anus had two stars each. 

There was a second diagram from the side instead of the front that labeled the stimulating parts of the vagina. It labeled the G-spot, which was a few centimeters in on the front of the vaginal wall. Then there was the A-spot that sat at the thinnest wall between the bladder and the vagina. Just next to the cervix, was the larger O-spot on the back wall of the vagina. She studied it for a moment before reading through the rest of the chapter. 

Human female anatomy is harder to discern as most of it is hidden from view until sex itself. The labia majora and pubic hair protect the vagina from undue stimulation at all other times. The vagina is between 7 and 11 centimeters long and just under 2 centimeters wide. When aroused and during childbirth it can stretch to twice its original size. _Huh, I didn't know that._ The clitoris contains over 8,000 nerves to aid in sexual stimulation and climax. The male penis only contains half as many nerves. There are also a number of sensitive spots that can be accessed through the vagina. The most popular of these is the G-spot. It is a smaller bundle of nerves 5 to 7 centimeters inside the vagina against its front wall. There is also the A-spot that is further back around where the bladder and vagina are the closest. At the back of the vagina are the cervix and the O-spot. Both of these are highly sensitive and can usually be accessed by a well-endowed individual and deep thrusting. Most women, however, can not orgasm from penetration alone. Typically they require clitoral stimulation. B'Elanna reached the end of the book and set the PADD on her coffee table, feeling accomplished and wondering what time it was. As if on a cue, the door to her room buzzed. 

"It's open, come in." At that, Tom stepped into the room holding yet another bouquet of orange tiger lilies. B'Elanna rolled her eyes but stood to meet him and his flowers anyway. 

"I thought yours were looking a little dull last time I was here." The two of them both eyed the wilted orange flowers. B'Elanna took the flowers from Tom and went to replace the old ones with these. When she had her back turned to him, she discreetly smelled them. Meanwhile, Tom had already sat back on her couch and picked up the inviting PADD resting on the coffee table. He began to read aloud. 

"At the back of the vagina are the cervix and the O-spot. Both of these are highly sensitive and can usually be accessed by a well-endowed individual and deep thrusting." B'Elanna plucked the PADD out of Tom's hands from behind the couch while he laughed. "Hey! I was reading that." 

"Not anymore. She set the PADD in the reclaimer to be recycled." Tom groaned dramatically. 

"Now, how am I supposed to learn how to best please my Be'?" He said dramatically. 

"From what I know so far," B'Elanna laughed, "you don't need any more help!" 

"So far? Is that an invitation?" Tom growled playfully as he stood up to hug B'Elanna to him. She twisted in his arms a few times but eventually settled back against his warm chest. 

"Well, you're in a good mood." 

"When Chakotay saw me moping today he cancelled my Beta shifts with the Doc and moved my helm duty to that time instead for the next few days. I think he felt bad for giving me so many back to back shifts for so long, but with Baytart sick, he was probably short on people to work the helm." He pressed his lips to B'Elanna's neck. "Now that Baytart is better, I'll get a bit of a break and have the energy to do more than cuddle." 

"He moved me to Beta shifts as well actually." 

"Did you tell him anything?" 

"No. Not until a few hours ago, after your helm shift." 

"So you talked to him." Tom paused to pull B'Elanna's shirt from her so that he could continue to kiss down her spine the way that she liked. "Did you ask about him and the Captain?" 

"Yes, but I'm not telling you." 

"Come on," He stopped kissing her spine to B'Elanna's disappointment. "I'm your lover, your mate. You're my Be'." 

"Not telling." Tom stepped back from her then. She gasped at the sudden chill on her back. 

"Then I won't be touching you." He leaned against the corner of the couch and crossed his arms. 

"What?" B'Elanna stepped up to him and planted a kiss on his unresponsive mouth. "You can't be serious. You can't!" 

"I am and I can. So get used to it." B'Elanna pulled him to her bed after she managed to loosen one of his arms. She pushed him down to it and straddled him, taking care to grind against him. While his body responded automatically, Tom crossed his arms and looked in another direction. B'Elanna untucked Tom's arms jacket and turtleneck and snaked her hands under them. He gasped when she started pinching him but refused to look at her still. Defeated, she leaned back and pulled her hands from his torso to rest on his stomach outside his clothes. 

"Fine," Tom looked at her, suddenly interested. "Chakotay told me that they were going slow—" 

"So they haven't had sex yet." B'Elanna glared. 

"No, I don't think so. But I'm pretty sure they both want to at this point. He was actually going to meet her in her quarters later tonight around 2100 hours." 

"Ooo. That's a bit late for dinner." 

"That's what I thought, but the Captain isn't the best about her health.... Still, he was so giddy it was hard to believe he was Chakotay." B'Elanna laughed. "I think he thinks he's going to get lucky." 

"I think you might be right. Wow. The Captain and Chakotay. I kind of always expected them to, but couldn't be sure about the Captain. She's such a stickler for protocol." 

"Yeah, I just hope she doesn't change her mind." She shook her head as if to dispel the very thought. "Chakotay would be devastated." B'Elanna sighed as she lay down on Tom's chest. Tom welcomed her with open arms. After a moment, his arms suddenly tightened around her and he shook them both violently from side to side. 

"It's an earthquake!" B'Elanna laughed until he stopped. 

"You're crazy, Flyboy." 

"You know me so well, Be'." They lay there for a while before B'Elanna spoke. With her cheek pressed to Tom's chest, she was a bit muffled. 

"Do you want to do it tonight?" Tom chuckled. 

"I always want to do it, I'm a _guy._" 

"No, I mean _it_. The 'Iw muv." Tom was silent for a while. "Tom? ...If you don't want to—if that's not how you feel—" 

"Shh, shh, Be'. I was just savoring the moment a bit. Of course I want to do the 'Iw muv with you. I want to go to the ends of the universe with you if you did too." He thought a moment. "Guess we kind of already are, huh?" B'Elanna only nodded because it was her turn to savor the moment. _He wants me forever._ Tom nuzzled his face against the top of her head. "I love you, B'Elanna, forever and always." 

"I love you, Tom, forever and always." 

Tom sat them up then. Once seated, he picked up B'Elanna, cradling her body to his as he moved around to the base of the bed and laid her down gently. He began to kiss her, his body covering hers. She broke the kiss to kiss both of his cheeks before resting her mouth against his left cheek. 

"You sure?" She mumbled against his skin. 

"Absolutely, Be'." With that B'Elanna sank her teeth into Tom's cheek, savoring the taste of blood as his spilled into her mouth. When she released him, Tom knelt his head to her chest and kissed along her collarbone before placing his mouth over the upper swell of her left breast. He paused a moment to build anticipation before sinking his teeth into the supple flesh there. B'Elanna squirmed gently, delighted. Tom took his mouth from her chest and moved in to kiss her. When he opened his mouth to her questing blood-tinged tongue, their blood mixed in their mouths, urging a satisfied moan from B'Elanna. They ended their kiss once they had swallowed all of the mixed blood. Tom pressed his head against B'Elanna's forehead gently before her shorts drew his attention. He pulled them and her underwear off. B'Elanna sat up then to rid Tom of his shirt, sweats and boxers in quick succession. She kissed his chest and stomach, leaving small red welts by her love bites on him. He pushed her down then and and climbed over her to kiss her and trail kisses up and down her torso. Tom finally stopped at her breast and took her nipple into his mouth, alternating between sucking gently and flicking his tongue out. B'Elanna moaned from his work and soon both of her nipples were as erect as the erection pressing against her stomach. She snaked a hand into his hair to pull him to her lips. He stopped kissing her and moved to support himself on his side. Tom then slid his hand down to her clitoris, rubbing it slowly with his first two fingers. B'Elanna rocked her body in small circles with his hand. She hoped he wouldn't bring her to the brink and back down again. Tom increased his movements as B'Elanna moaned her pleasure until she came hard against his hand. She panted for a moment, and cuddled up to Tom. Tom traced languid circles on her back. 

After a moment, B'Elanna rolled onto Tom, pinning her with her legs. She wiggled, signaling that she was ready for the main event, and dropped down to kiss him fiercely. Tom grabbed her face, relenting for a moment, before he used his body to roll them onto her back. He took control of the kiss, assaulting her mouth with his tongue. He pulled away, to position himself to enter her and did so without giving her a chance to flip them again. He preferred to be on top. He started slow, massaging her breasts in time to his thrusts. As he decided to pick up speed, he leaned back to bring her legs closer to her face. 

Tom pressed her legs up to her chest. B'Elanna held them there while he slammed his body into hers. Her legs shook when he slammed hard and she found herself enjoying the display of his power. She thought she resembled something like a giant soft pretzel with the way that her arms wrapped around each other. _A giant soft pretzel on a stick,_ she thought if she included Tom. He alternated between shallow thrusts and, her favorite, deep thrusts that hit her cervix and shook her feet. He leaned forward, stretching her legs pleasantly as he kissed her during some shallower thrusts. She moaned at the soft pain radiating from her hamstrings. When he leaned back after a moment, he went for it with several deep thrusts leading to his orgasm and leaving B'Elanna moaning and gasping loudly. When he finished, he pulled out of her and lay next to her. As B'Elanna put her legs down, they shook. She hoped they wouldn't be shaky tomorrow. 

**=/\=**

B'Elanna woke up in Tom's arms under her comforter. Her back faced Tom and she stirred to face him, pressing a kiss to his nose. She didn't do it out of needing to leave soon—she and he both had Beta shifts today—she just felt the need to provide her sleeping mate with some love. Tom stirred. 

"Good morning." B'Elanna opened her mouth to answer him but was interrupted. 

"Doctor to Lieutenant Torres." B'Elanna rolled her eyes as she answered him. 

"Torres here. What is it?" 

"I took the liberty of checking your schedule this morning and noticed you happen to be free until Beta shift. Would now be a good time to come to Sick Bay for a birth control booster." B'Elanna sighed. 

"What for? There aren't any Klingons on board. I can't get pregnant without coming to you first." 

"I wouldn't be too sure. My preliminary scan showed that the majority of eggs in your left ovary are human compatible." B'Elanna froze. "Therefore, you can get pregnant roughly every other month." _Shit._ She went over the past few weeks in her head, trying to recall the last time she had been on her period. It had been about a month ago, she was due for her next one already. _My period wavers by a few days so maybe there is nothing to worry about. Maybe._ She climbed out of bed, giving Tom an apologetic look. He looked stunned and B'Elanna's stomach sank. Even if they'd done the 'Iw muv, she didn't think he would be ready to be a _father_ so soon. 

"I'm on my way now, Doctor." 

"Good. Doctor out." 

"Tom, I _swear_ I didn't know." His expression didn't change at all and B'Elanna sighed, mentally cursing herself for avoiding the doctor so regularly as she got dressed and left her quarters. Her mind was in a tizzy as she power-walked to Sick Bay. _What would I do with a baby? How would Tom and me work out? Would he want to be involved?_ It would be easy enough for him not to be involved as a father. Maybe he could be the uncle or godfather. There were plenty of humans on this ship; she could always tell the baby that its father died heroically. It would be harder for her to escape this. _Who's your mommy? She's just a half-Klingon._ B'Elanna chuffed because it would be all to easy to figure out who the half-Klingon was and she didn't expect Tom to lie on her behalf. B'Elanna entered Sick Bay in a huff. 

"Glad to see you excited to be here for a change." The Doctor already had a hypospray in his hand. B'Elanna went to the nearest biobed and the Doctor followed. 

"I think I'm late." 

"Nonsense." The Doctor made to press the hypospray to her neck. B'Elanna pushed it away. 

"No, I mean my period," she half whispered, not quite believing it herself. The Doctor looked at her with surprise for a moment and turned around to a nearby tray. He set the hypospray down and picked up a medical tricorder. As he turned to face B'Elanna, he pulled the smaller handheld piece out and began running it over her abdomen. B'Elanna held her breath as it beeped quietly. 

"Hmm. You won't be needing this after all." He placed the smaller handheld piece into the back of the tricorder. "Congratulations, Lieutenant. You're pregnant. And who might be the lucky fella?" B'Elanna shot him a glare in response. 

"Why didn't you tell me I could get pregnant?" 

"I gave you birth control didn't I?" 

"That's not the same thing as telling me outright." 

"Lieutenant, I thought you knew." The Doctor sounded sympathetic and defensive. 

"No! I didn't. My mother only told me not to go near humans! She didn't say one could get me pregnant." 

"I take it you don't want to keep the embryo?" B'Elanna was glad that the Doctor hadn't started calling the parasite in her abdomen a baby. 

"I...I don't know." _I need to ask Tom._

"Well, in case you do keep it," the Doctor grabbed a different vial and replaced the birth control in the hypospray with it. "I'm going to give you some vitamins—some folic acid, iron, vitamin D, magnesium..." B'Elanna zoned out as she recalled Tom's shocked expression from this morning. She wasn't looking forward to telling him but she didn't have much of a choice. She couldn't lie and he'd be sure to ask. Once the Doctor finished reciting prenatal vitamins, B'Elanna hopped up from the biobed and headed for the exit. 

"Thanks Doc." 

"I expect to see you here next week!" He called after her as she exited Sick Bay. "Don't work to close to the warp core either!" The Doctor sighed, unsure if B'Elanna had heard him. He hoped for the baby's sake that she had. B'Elanna walked quickly to her quarters and then slowed down once she realized that the quicker she walked, the sooner she'd have to face Tom. She paused outside her door to gather herself before opening it. She found herself disappointed when she didn't see Tom anywhere. 

"Tom?" No answer. "Computer, locate Tom Paris." 

"Tom Paris is in Harry Kim's quarters." B'Elanna debated going to see him right away. She needed to tell him. She needed to ask if he wanted this...baby. If he didn't, then she would have the Doctor remove it. She couldn't possibly care for a baby and work in engineering. B'Elanna turned on her heel to head for Harry's room. 

"Come in," Harry answered when B'Elanna rang the bell. B'Elanna walked in, white as a sheet. Tom acted quickly. 

"Harry, could we have a moment?" 

"I _am_ pretty hungry. Come by when you're done," Harry replied, hoping that whatever happened between his best friends wouldn't destroy their budding relationship. They complimented each other better than he would have thought possible. Once Harry left, Tom took B'Elanna by the arm and led her to the couch. 

"Why didn't you wait for me?" 

"I thought you might want a few moments to yourself regardless of the answer...Do-Do you _want_ to tell me?" He was giving her a way out. She could go to the Doctor now and pretend that nothing had ever happened. She could get her birth control booster and go on with her life. _That's not exactly honorable._

"I'm pregnant, Tom," she whispered so softly that she wasn't sure he'd heard. She was scared to look away from the wall in front of them and at his face. She couldn't bear to see that shocked expression again, or something worse, like anger. After a moment of excruciating silence, she forced herself to look at Tom. He was smiling. "Tom?" 

"Shh. I'm savoring this. I'm going to be a father! And B'Elanna, you're going to be a _mother_. You'll be such a good mother." He hugged a very surprised B'Elanna. 

"You-You don't want to get rid of it?" She said against his neck. 

"Gods no!" Tom answered exuberantly as he pulled her away from him. "I'd love to have a baby with you." A thought struck him. "That is if you want to keep it..." 

"I was going to get rid of it if you didn't want it." She leaned against his chest. His excitement over a baby—_their baby_—finally sunk in. 

"I'm sure we'll be fine parents. You the best engineer in the quadrant and me, the best pilot in the quadrant. Our baby will be brilliant." 

"Are you sure? You can't send it back if you change your mind." Her mind drifted to her father abandoning her. "And I'll never let you leave either." 

"Forever and always, Be'." She understood his meaning immediately and her heart beamed. He could be rather poetic when he wanted to. She felt pride at having chosen wisely with Tom. "I wouldn't _think_ of leaving. My heart would have to stop pumping for it to happen, and even then, I bet Seven and the Doctor will be able to pull off some Borg miracle to bring me back." He squeezed her to himself, elated and scared and on top of the world. 

"Forever and always, Tom." Tom smiled. He slipped from the couch, kneeling at B'Elanna's feet. "Tom," B'Elanna laughed as she recalled what the gesture would likely lead to. 

"B'Elanna, my Be'. I promise to love you and our baby forever and always. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?" B'Elanna smiled, and pulled Tom to her lips without answering. "I take that as a yes?" He asked when they'd separated. B'Elanna nodded. 


	5. Epilogue

The whole ship was abuzz with good news. A week after finding out about the pregnancy themselves, B'Elanna and Tom decided to tell the Captain in person. They were sure she already knew, but they also intended to ask her to marry them. 

"Pregnant? Congratulations!" She exclaimed as she hugged them both, wincing slightly as B'Elanna pressed a hand to her still healing bruise. She noticed, and made a note to tell Tom. The Captain pulled away and looked between both of their faces. "When does the Doctor say it's due? Do you know the sex?" 

"He says it might be seven to nine months. He can't be sure because Klingons gestate for a shorter time than humans. My mother carried me for eight months. But our baby girl will be more human than myself." The Captain beamed as though she was hearing about her own child. 

"A girl, how sweet. Tell me, do you have a name yet?" 

"Yes, actually. We want to name her after B'Elanna's mother, Miral." Tom said as he squeezed B'Elanna's shoulders. "Call it a bit of irony." The Captain shook her head, laughing. The rumor mill had been working overtime. She was well aware of B'Elanna's mistake. The whole crew was. B'Elanna hadn't known at the time, but apparently Crewman Chell was laying on an out-of-sight biobed recovering from an injury when she'd seen the Doctor. Chell was notorious for spreading rumors and he made no exception for his former Maquis crewmate. She found out about it when a science ensign she didn't know confronted her about keeping the baby. B'Elanna was shocked, telling her it was none of her damn business what she did with her body and set the record straight: she and _Tom_ were keeping the baby. Tom's name drew a few looks from those who hadn't been part of Harry's betting pool, including the mystery science ensign. 

"We were wondering if you would perform a ceremony to wed us," B'Elanna stated, "before I get too big to fit in a dress." 

"I'd be delighted! Do you want to do the Klingon Marriage Oath as well?" Tom nodded. "And Tom, you are Jewish, correct? Is that how you would like to be wed?" He looked at B'Elanna, who nodded for him. "Alright, I'll begin brushing up on both customs. When is the date?" 

"A week?" B'Elanna asked sheepishly. They were already mostly married by Klingon tradition. She wanted to get it over with quickly. 

"The sooner the better." The Captain rushed them out of her quarters. When the door closed she called. "Chakotay, they're gone." He reemerged from her bathroom with a towel around his waist and his clothes on his arm. 

"Good, I was worried they'd notice you were a bit unkept." 

"Unkept?" He pointed at her bun. There were strands falling around her face, framing it. 

"Your hair. And your turtleneck is folded over." He came up to her then to fix her turtleneck. She stretched when Chakotay stepped back. 

"B'Elanna got me on my bruise." 

"Sorry." Chakotay said as he put his turtleneck from yesterday back on. He had took his clothes into the bathroom with him and now had them strewn on her bed. 

"No, it's quite alright," Kathryn laughed. "I was the one who gave you the book suggestion." Chakotay stepped into his boxers in a practiced motion that prevented his towel from falling until he was decent. 

"Do you have another book suggestion?" She laughed again when Chakotay gave her a dirty look. 

"You mean, do I have another fantasy I want to play out?" 

"Yup." 

"I think you enjoyed the last one a bit too much. I don't know if I should give you any more power over me." Chakotay slipped on his pants and came over to embrace Kathryn in a powerful hug that echoed their past week, dropping his towel into the reclaimer on his way over. 

"You seemed to like it when I had all the power over you." Kathryn blushed. She certainly had. 

**=/\=**

"Did the Captain seem to be rushing us out like she was hiding something?" Tom asked as they made their way to their shared quarters, hand in hand. 

"I think we were right about Chakotay getting lucky. She had a bruise on her back. Also the shower smelled like it was just running." 

"Why would her back be bruised?" Tom asked puzzled. Even with his and B'Elanna's wild love making, he'd never bruised her back to his knowledge. 

"She gave Chakotay a smutty book suggestion that day she invited him to her quarters late. There were ropes, suspension, and whips involved." Tom whistled as he thought about what his commanding officers would be up to next. 

**=/\=**

B'Elanna looked down at the ceremony from her vantage point in the castle-like tower. Tom had spent the past week programming it with Harry. He'd actually taken the skeleton from his Captain Proton holonovel but returned the bright colors of the lost city of Venice, Italy. It was an odd city. The roads weren't roads, but river ways. She wasn't surprised to learn that global warming had caused the entire city to disappear under the sea. Holographic characters carted wedding guests to the central barge by gondola, pushing on the ground with long poles. B'Elanna looked at herself in the full length mirror again. The right side of her hair was braided. Some sprigs of baby's breath and a white tiger lily were braided into it courtesy of the ever sweet Naomi. 

She was excited to be getting another baby on the ship. B'Elanna was sure she saw Naomi as often as she saw Tom. Naomi acted like an older sister already, asking about B'Elanna, fetching her things, even making a teething ring for Miral with some cloth and rice. She appreciated the teething ring. Her mother had told her how badly she teethed on a rare occasion when she was reminiscing instead of complaining about B'Elanna's early childhood. The Doctor theorized that the combination of tough Klingon gums and dull human teeth had that effect. B'Elanna rubbed her barely distended stomach, hoping Miral's childhood would be easier than her own. 

B'Elanna continued studying her appearance. She turned to her side to look at her profile. Her breasts had grown some, to Tom's delight. Their increased size hid the fact that her stomach had gotten a little bigger as well. It wasn't much. She was actually looking forward to when she would _look_ pregnant instead of just chubby. She looked forward to feeling Miral move inside her. Wildman told her that it was such a magical feeling, like nervous butterflies all flying in one direction. Her dress flowed over her stomach delicately. When she pulled her hand from her stomach, the fabric fanned out a little and hid her bump entirely. The ends of the dress and the long bell-shaped sleeves were edged with a good few inches of lace in swirling patterns that reminded her of galaxies. It was a beautiful design that several of the women on her engineering crew put together from several other wedding dresses. After learning that she planned to keep the baby, they were very warm to her. Even easily forgiving her anger spells which had become more frequent due to her pregnancy. There was a knock on her door. 

"Come in." Chakotay in a dashing suit that she slyly thought the Captain would make quick work of later and Tom in the baby blue shirt and black suit that she'd picked out for him entered the room together. Chakotay hadn't told her anything yet, but from the way the Captain took to carrying herself to avoid accidental touches from the rest of the crew, she was sure they were still seeing each other and that she was sporting many bruises. B'Elanna contemplating giving the Captain her dermal regenerator and just using the one from Tom's med kit. She was sure that Tom wouldn't mind. The pregnancy had taken all the stops out of their sexual relationship. Anytime they were in their quarters for more than ten minutes, she demanded some out of Tom. If he hadn't insisted on not seeing her until he had to cover her face with her veil then she would have striped him down now. 

"Ready B'Elanna?" She nodded to Tom. Tom pulled a bouquet of red and white roses from behind his back and pressed them to her hands. They planned on using the thorns for the Klingon part of the ceremony but she had forgotten the roses in her quarters of all places. She took them from his hands. 

"Thank you, Tom." He stepped up closer to her and studied her face a moment. He placed his hands around hers and the flowers and squeezed gently before planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. Tom then lifted his hands to drop the veil over her face. 

"I'll see you soon, Be'," Tom said as he turned to leave. Tom's small white hat stood out against his hair. He'd called it a _kippah_. He'd mentioned it before, she had no idea what it looked like. Seeing it now she judged it to be odd. Somehow it clung to his hair even though it couldn't cover his whole head. B'Elanna linked her arm with Chakotay's, watching Tom's retreating figure. Chakotay would stand in as her father. She frowned a moment, missing her father. 

"Are you alright?" Chakotay asked when he spotted her frown but after Tom was out of earshot. 

"Yeah, I just miss my father. Wish he was here. He doesn't even know." Chakotay patted her hand. 

"It's alright, we'll be in the Alpha quadrant in no time and you can show him Miral and tell him about how you and Tom got together. How did that happen anyway?" 

"How did your's and Kathryn's night go?" She used the Captain's informal name, because who was she kidding, Chakotay was sleeping with Kathryn, not the Captain. 

"Hah, I'll tell you about it after you tell me about your honeymoon." B'Elanna blushed. She was still blushing as Chakotay helped her into the gondola and as he helped her onto the barge. The rest of the bridal party were already preparing to walk down the center of the barge. The Captain, acting as both mother of the groom and Rabbi, walked Tom down the aisle. Ayala and Bartlett walked together to take their places next to Tom on the left. Harry followed them. Then Wildman and Henley walked arm and arm together to take their spots opposite Ayala and Bartlett, followed by B'Elanna's maid of honor, Kes. She carried her own smaller bouquet of red and white tiger lilies. Naomi walked just ahead of B'Elanna and Chakotay, tossing red, white, and pink flower petals as she went. A few of them, B'Elanna noticed, landed in the laps of those in the aisle seats, but no one seemed to mind. She stood at the end of the bridesmaids, clutching her basket of petals. B'Elanna and Chakotay made their way down the aisle with all eyes on B'Elanna even though several of the bridal party remained in the aisle in front of them. She felt her cheeks redden further under their gaze, but with her arm attached to Chakotay's, she couldn't very well turn away. When they reached the Chuppah, Chakotay left her side to stand as the father just behind where she would eventually stand while she walked in seven circles around Tom and the Chuppah. She caught Tom watching her as she did so and watched him back, smiling softly. The rest of the wedding ceremony seemed to disappear when she looked into his eyes. When she finished, B'Elanna handed her flowers to Kes and took Tom's hand. 

"I am so very happy to have the honor of joining Tom and B'Elanna together as husband and wife today. I myself have to admit that I was expecting no less." There were a few chuckles in the audience and the bridal party at the Captain's last sentence. Tom smiled and looked down at B'Elanna who was watching the Captain intently. He noticed she had a faint blush under the veil—_She really is one of a kind._—and turned to watching the Captain again. "Let's start." The Captain picked up a small glass of red wine from the pedestal in front of her and recited a short blessing in Hebrew before she offered it to Tom. He took a sip and handed it to B'Elanna who also took a sip. She handed it back to the Captain and she recited the _shehecheyanu_ in Hebrew as well before returning the glass to the pedestal. This was where the ceremony deviated from a completely traditional Jewish wedding. Instead of asking guests for the seven blessings and for the groom and bride to exchange rings, she took the large bouquet from Kes, tore a small opening in the wrapping to expose a few thorns. She used the thorn to prick B'Elanna's right thumb. B'Elanna turned to face Tom and recited aloud: 

bomDI' 'IwwIj qaqaw  
tIqwIjDaq ratlhtaH larghIlj.  
'IwIlj je 'IwwIj wImuvmoH;  
ej no'lI' je no'wI' wImuvmoH. 

'Iwmaj ghogh yIQoy.  
DaH wa' 'Iw. reH wItay'taH. 

As with the Hebrew, the Klingon words remained untranslated as she spoke them to Tom. When she finished, the Captain turned and cut Tom's left thumb. He recited the Federation Standard translation: 

The memory of you sings in my blood,  
And your scent lingers in my heart.  
Let us join your blood and mine,  
Your ancestors to my ancestors. 

Listen to the voice of our blood,  
Now one blood. We are together always. 

When he finished, B'Elanna took her right hand and held it in a thumbs up gesture to Tom. Tom pressed his cut thumb to B'Elanna's and wrapped his hand around the outside of her hand. Then they separated their thumbs to bring each to the other's mouth for a quick taste. Tom pulled his hand from B'Elanna's side then and fumbled in his pocket for their rings. He pressed his ring into her hand when they brought their hands away from their mouths. Tom held his ring for B'Elanna in his right hand, a simple gold band with the engraving: _Forever and Always, Be'._ He took B'Elanna's left in his other hand and held the ring in front of her ring finger. 

"qaSaw rIntaH be'nalwI'," he said as he slid the ring onto her finger. B'Elanna mirrored his motions when he'd finished. Her ring for him was engraved as well: _I'll never let you leave, bangwI'._ He'd laughed when he heard what she wanted engraved on the ring but she assured him that since the ring was a reminder it needed to be said. 

"qanay rIntaH loDalwI'," she said as she slid the ring onto his finger. Her hands shook, but she somehow managed not to drop it. Harry took a step forward and began reciting the first of seven blessings. He stepped back in place when he'd finished. Wildman said the second. Ayala said the third. Henley recited the fourth in perfect Hebrew. B'Elanna learned after asking her to be her bridesmaid and recite a blessing that her former Maquis crew mate and current friend was also Jewish. Bartlett said the fifth. Kes stepped forward with the sixth. Chakotay, finally, recited the seventh with a large smile. Each had spoken in Hebrew for the sake of Tom and had to practice with each other every night this past week except for Henley who merely had to familiarize herself with the fourth blessing. At the end of their blessings, the couple looked to the Captain for approval. She nodded and lifted her hands. Tom smiled, lifted her veil gingerly, and pulled her close to him by her waist to plant a kiss on her lips. B'Elanna returned the kiss to rejoicing of "Mazel Tov!" from the audience and the bridal party. B'Elanna felt the soft caress of petals assault her face and arms as Naomi, no doubt, threw the rest of her flower petals at her and Tom. 

Tom took B'Elanna by the hand and led them down the aisle. The rest of the bridal party followed them in reverse order to how they had arrived. Kes and Harry took over the exiting of the guests toward the ballroom where the reception would be held while Tom took B'Elanna back to the tower they had started in. Once at the top of the tower, Tom closed the door behind them and led them to the small couch in the corner of the room. He sat down and opened his arms to her so that she could cuddle against him. 

"My wife," he said as an invitation. 

"My husband," she replied as she took her place against him. They sat there for several moments, enjoying the solitude of the Yichud within each other's company and away from the rest of the group. B'Elanna closed her eyes as she rested her hand on Tom's chest under his suit. She tilted her head up then for a chaste kiss from him, which he happily obliged. 

"You ready for this? Marriage and Miral and us?" Tom asked softly to her hair. 

"Not entirely. Are you?" 

"Not entirely," he echoed her response. 

"What are you worried about?" 

"Being a dad, definitely." B'Elanna was surprised. 

"You'll be fine. Remember when the Vidiins separated me from my Klingon half? You told me a story about how your father always made you shave your head in summer and how you hid it with a hat every year when I told you how weird it was to finally have my girlhood wish of being more human." 

"I remember." 

"Hearing that from you, that you also were insecure sometimes, made me feel so much better. I felt normal for a brief moment. You're going to have all kinds of stories for our little Miral." He thought about it and found that she was right. 

"Alright, what about you? What are you worried about?" 

"Being a mother. I don't really have the best role model...I don't even know if I want to give her anything Klingon aside from what she must have." 

"I think you should. Remember the Day of Honor that you didn't want?" B'Elanna nodded. "You didn't want to do any of it—the painsticks, the ritualistic eating, the combat trials—but when we were floating in space, dying of oxygen deprivation, you found your courage and claimed your honor by telling me you loved me. I hate to think that if you hadn't been thinking about the Day of Honor then you'd not have admitted that. And as for your mother, at least you'll know well what _not_ to do." B'Elanna chuckled at that. He was right. She already had a running list in her head of things that she would refuse to do to her daughter. They were quiet a little while longer before B'Elanna spoke. 

"Do you really want to go to the reception?" 

"Are you trying to abandon our friends?" 

"No, I just want to spend time with my loDalwI'. We'll have to leave soon." 

"Yeah, and soon the reception will be over and we'll have our honeymoon to begin." He smiled and kissed her head. "And you can break all of my bones." B'Elanna laughed, hitting his chest. "Careful, the honeymoon hasn't even started yet!" He teased as he hugged her. 

"Then let's get to the reception before I can't hold myself back and so we can get started sooner." She got up, and pulled Tom to his feet next. He placed a kiss on her lips before taking her by the waist and beginning to lead them to the reception ballroom. 

"Oh wait, I almost forgot!" B'Elanna turned out of his grasp and headed to her night bag. They would be spending a few nights in the holodecks before taking the rest of their two week honeymoon in their quarters. She pulled out the dermal regenerator and held it out of sight in her hand. "You brought your's right?" 

"I did. Why?" 

"I'm going to give mine to Kathryn. The whole crew shouldn't have to know when she and Chakotay are getting frisky." Tom wagged a finger at her. 

"Good idea. Only now _we_ won't know." Tom took her by the waist again and led them out the doorway. 

"I'm sure I can coax details out of Chakotay." 

"I hope you'll share." 

**=/\=**

The reception was already in full swing with music and food. Tom and B'Elanna flitted into the beautiful ballroom. B'Elanna hadn't seen the ballroom yet; Tom had wanted to keep it a surprise for her. She marveled at the ceiling. It looked like there was no ceiling, like they were dancing under a starry night sky with no moon. The columns in the ballroom were decorated with all colors of tiger lilies. Every table had a different single colored tiger lily at its center. 

"It's beautiful, Tom." 

"Only the best for my _wife_," he replied as he squeezed her close to him. He pointed to a table in the middle of the tables. "I think I see Kathryn." B'Elanna looked to where he was pointing. The Captain and Chakotay were sitting close together sharing laugher and conversation. The Captain's drink was half empty and her cheeks showed it. 

"I'll be right back." 

"Of course." B'Elanna drifted through the crowds to the Captain's side. "Captain?" 

"Yes, B'Elanna," she asked as she finished laughing at something Chakotay said. B'Elanna pressed the dermal regenerator into her hand deftly. 

"So you won't have to explain to the crew when you're limping." The Captain looked surprised. Chakotay looked...mischievous, B'Elanna judged when she looked over at him. She winked at him. B'Elanna walked away then, offering no further explanation. "Have fun!" 

"What did she give you?" She heard Chakotay ask as she walked away. 

"I don't know." At this, Kathryn opened her hand, cradling the dermal regenerator in both hands for her and Chakotay to see. Chakotay laughed loudly. Kathryn blushed deeply. B'Elanna smirked as she returned to Tom. She didn't turn around to watch them. 

"What are they doing now?" She asked Tom. 

"The Captain is covering her face. She set the regenerator on the table and covered it with her other hand. Chakotay is still laughing. Oh, he stopped. He put his hand on hers. Chakotay whispered something to her." Tom laughed. "And they're getting up. Come on," he tugged on her arm. "Let's get out of their way." They moved aside. B'Elanna and Tom watched discreetly as the Captain and Chakotay left, hand-in-hand to hide the regenerator from view. The Captain gave B'Elanna a sheepish smile when she caught her watching them. B'Elanna smiled back knowingly and Kathryn looked away then, fixing her eyes on the back of Chakotay's neck. Tom got B'Elanna's attention by pulling on her arm. 

"What did Chakotay say? I know you heard." 

"He invited her back to his room. He told her he'd finished _Courtship_ and had something new for her." 

"Oh, you've _got_ to ask him about it!" Tom answered in a hushed whisper. 

"I will, but we could also read the end of the novel." The two of them spent several hours with their guests, dancing and having a good time. Soon, they went back to the tower to collect their things and moved to the second holodeck. The first would continue to contain the reception party for as long as the guests were willing to be there. Tom and B'Elanna had their own party to attend. 

The holoprogram on the second deck was like Neelix's beach resort, minus the holocharacters that didn't "work" there. The location was different too, a planet with two moons. And the resort had a proper hotel instead of just a foyer. B'Elanna and Tom had reservations for the penthouse suite and took the elevator in silence. The silence wasn't born out of nervousness, but rather out of the reality of their situation, their incredible growth, and an appreciation of the moment. They stepped into the room. Tom and B'Elanna set their bags near the door and proceeded to undressing. B'Elanna needed a little help with unzipping her dress, but once that was done, she and Tom undressed separately. When they were naked, Tom started to kiss her passionately. 

"Aren't you going to recite some poetry?" 

"Are you going to throw things at me?" He raised an eyebrow quizzically. 

"That's why we have a holoprogram. This one doesn't have the safety protocols either." She wiggled her eyebrows at him. 

"Lucky for you, I memorized a few just for this occasion, Be'." Tom cleared his throat dramatically and took a few paces away from B'Elanna. 

"O, never say that I was false of heart,  
Though absence seemed my flame to qualify." He dodged a pillow from the couch then, though he didn't need to. It bounced harmlessly off the bed behind him onto the floor. 

"As easy might I from my self depart  
As from my soul which in thy breast doth lie." He dodged a small figurine next. 

"That is my home of love; if I have ranged," B'Elanna pelted a candlestick and a remote at him in quick succession, having circled the room some. Tom remained by the bed, but wasn't hit. 

"Like him that travels I return again,  
Just to the time, not with the time exchanged," She threw a metal platter at him like a frisbee. He caught it, glad to have a shield now. 

"So that myself bring water for my stain.  
Never believe though in my nature reigned" B'Elanna threw the hairdryer at his chest. Tom used the platter and it bounced off of it. 

"All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood,  
That it could so preposterously be stained" B'Elanna threw another couch pillow at Tom. It hit him square in the face. She took the opportunity to hurl another figurine at him. It hit his shoulder. His collarbone throbbed and he found himself hoping that it was broken. B'Elanna tried to lunge at him, but he moved out of the way, circling her until he was back by the bed. 

"To leave for nothing all thy sum of good;  
For nothing this wide universe I call" Tom dodged another pillow-statue combo. 

"Save thou, my rose, in it thou art my all" He ducked under a hair curler and set the platter on the floor, knowing that he no longer needed it. "How's that?" 

"It's beautiful, Tom." B'Elanna took a slight crouching stance. "But now, you have to catch me," she growled. 

"I intend to," he growled back. Tom lunged at her, but she sidestepped him easily. He didn't mind; her sidestep brought her closer to the bed. He stepped closer slowly, legs bent and arms outstretched. He feinted to the left once he was within arm's reach. When B'Elanna made for his right, he grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her upper arms and torso. She tried to twist out of his grasp, but he had his fingers locked and her arms pinned. Tom jumped, pushing her to the bed then, landing on top of her gracelessly. Their fall knocked the air out of B'Elanna and she briefly stopped struggling, but since Tom was expecting this, he used the brief pause to pin B'Elanna's arms over her head. 

"You will _not_ take me!" she yelled through gritted teeth as she continued to kick her legs wildly and try bucking him off of her. Her attempts only succeeded in arousing Tom and herself further. She'd never _dreamed_ a human would give her a tlhoghDaj ram. She was over the moon when Tom said that he would before they'd married. Luckily, B'Elanna's wrists were thin enough that Tom could hold them with one hand momentarily, while he reached for the scarf above her head. He had no idea how Klingons were expected to do this normally without tying their wife up. He was glad B'Elanna allowed it. Although she allowed it, that didn't make her struggle against him any less. He nearly lost his grip on her wrists when he'd wrapped them with the scarf and had to let go to tie her to the bed frame. Once her wrists were tied, Tom felt a little better and grew more confident. 

"I will take you for my own, Ha'DIbaH," he spat. His blood was pulsing through him now, spurred on by the challenge of bedding his wife. He sank his teeth into her left cheek, drawing blood. B'Elanna gasped. 

"I am no Ha'DIbaH, pig." Tom pulled his mouth from her cheek then. 

"Careful, I'll hurt you if you call me pig again, Ha'DIbaH." B'Elanna stilled. Tom took the opportunity to thrust himself inside her. He was glad that she felt very wet and that he went in easily. When he had agreed to play out the tlhoghDaj ram with her, he read up on things to prepare for. He didn't want to actually hurt her and he worried that she wouldn't be wet enough for the process to not be painful. B'Elanna yelped when he entered her, having been, quite literally, taken by surprise. He paused, worried. Sensing her mate's discomfort, B'Elanna nodded slightly to tell him that she was fine. Her legs had remained still when he entered her because in all reality it wasn't as if she didn't actually _want_ him. She wouldn't fight with her legs anymore, but words were fair game. 

"Pig," she spat, with acid in her voice. Tom bit her breast then, in the same place as the scar there. He tasted blood. She arched her back against him, reveling in the pain. 

"I warned you." Tom began moving in and out of B'Elanna aggressively. For now, the movement was only to benefit himself. When he finished, he would take care of B'Elanna properly. B'Elanna tugged at her restraint. To stop her, Tom moved a hand down to her clitoris and began rubbing it. A moan escaped her lips. "You like that don't you, Ha'DIbaH?" She was trying hard not to make pleasurable noises for Tom, but she couldn't stop all of them it seemed. Tom took his hand away from her clitoris and pressed his chest to hers so that he could whisper in her ear. "Then you're glad I'm going to take you, Ha'DIbaH?" B'Elanna turned her head then to bite him. She managed to nip his ear as he was moving away. Tom braced himself by lifting B'Elanna's legs to his shoulders. The back of her knees rested on his shoulders. He pounded into her harder, feeling and hearing flesh slap flesh. She gasped each time he thrust into her, barely managing not to turn those gasps into moans. 

"You'll pay for that," he growled lowly. He could feel himself getting close. Since he was mainly focused on himself, it was much easier to reach his peak. He came a few moments later into her with a groan. "You carry my seed and you shall bear me children, Ha'DIbaH. I'll keep you swollen with them for as long as you can be." He rested against her legs a moment, panting, before he pulled out of her. Dropping the act, he placed a kiss on her lips sweetly. He'd missed kissing her, but he planned on kissing her before giving her the pleasure she was due as his wife. She returned the kiss passionately, fully in love and awe of her husband. Tom broke the kiss to untie B'Elanna. He'd read that after intense BDSM scenarios, couples should cuddle sweetly in aftercare to assure each other that they were loved and more than a sexy play thing. He lay on his back and gathered B'Elanna into his arms, stroking her hair and back. 

"Thank you for giving me my tlhoghDaj ram, Tom," she purred. She marveled at the strangeness of it all: him and her, the wedding ring on her finger, the phrase engraved on it, the baby growing inside her.... It was all marvelous. 

"I'm glad you liked it." 

"I especially liked your nickname for me. I like it enough that you may call me that outside of the bedroom. I don't think anyone else will know what it means...." Tom chuckled, knowing that that wasn't entirely true, but he wasn't about to pass on the chance to call her a dog and remind her of their tlhoghDaj ram. Chakotay and Harry had helped him pick out a suitable semi-dirty word, so they would know the significance of him calling her that. "Just maybe not in front of Miral. I don't want her growing up and asking 'why does Daddy call Mommy a dog'." Tom hugged her closer for a moment. 

"No, that wouldn't do." His breathing had finally returned to normal. "Ready for your turn?" 

"No, I'm good. Women don't normally orgasm on their tlhoghDaj ram. That's for the morning when her husband apologizes to her several times."

"I think you might owe me an apology. I think you broke my clavicle." B'Elanna smiled. 

"You're welcome, love." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bangwI' (my love)


End file.
